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THE  SP[>^^>^>nAi  pF^J^ 


J.  J   G.  WlLlvINSOJN'. 


irfciorfe: 

NEW  CHURCH  PUBLISHING  ASSOCIATION. 

447  Broome  Street. 

LONDON: 

W.  WHITE,  36  BLOOMSBURY  STREET. 

1857. 


^^  For  verily  I  say  unto  you,  That  ichosoever  shall 
say  unto  this  mountain,  Be  thou  removed,  and  he  thou 
cast  into  the  sea ;  and  shall  not  doubt  in  his  heart, 
but  shall  believe  that  those  things  which  he  saith  shall 
come  to  pass  ;  he  shall  have  whatsoever  he  saith. — 
Therefore  I  say  unto  you.  What  things  soever  ye  de. 
sire,  when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  them,  and 
ye  shall  have  them.  And  when  ye  stand  praying,  for- 
give, if  ye  have  aught  against  any  :  that  your  Fa- 
ther also  u-hich  is  in  heaven  may  forgive  you  your  tres- 
passses.^^ — Mark  xi.  23 — 25. 


LONDOxX  : 
TRiXTED  BY  MITCHELL  AND  SON,  WARDOUR  STREET,  (W 


§tVxaUh 
to 


18 


CONTENTS. 


page 

Care 1 

Sleep      3 

Peace        5 

The  Living  Love J^, 

Patience 8 

Solitude         12 

A  Landscape 15 

Sand-eating 17 

The  Birth  of  Adam 20 

The  Birth  of  Eve          24 

Astrology 28 

The  Four  Beasts  and  the  Four  and  Twenty 

Elders 31 

Horse  of  Flesh 34 

Life       37 

The  proud  hath  said  in  his  heart.   There  is  no 

God 39 

Memory         42 

Hahnemann       47 

Mesmer         54 

Healing 59 


VI  CONTENTS. 

page 

Chloroform  :  what  of  it  ? 60 

Sir  Robert  Peel        63 

England        69 

E.B 75 

The  Birth  of  Aconite 77 

The  White  Lily        80 

A  Wife^s  Message         85 

W.  M.W.         89 

E.W, 90 

Teddy's  Flower        93 

Saturday  Night 96 

The  Vala . .  ib. 

The  Fairies^  Welcome 99 

The  Dance  of  Life 105 

The  Spirit 108 

The  English  Language      112 

Icelandic       116 

The  Holy  Spirit  descended  like  a  Dove  . .      . .  118 

Sebastopol :  what  of  it  ?       124 

The  Human  Ear       125 

The  Human  Eye 130 

Song  :  its  divine  birth      135 

Gentleness 140 

Turner :  Painter.     His  State         146 

Turner :  Painter.     His  Art       149 

Williams.         153 

Mary  S.        159 

The  Traveller 166 

Thorvaldsen 172 

Newness 175 

Edgar  Allan  Poe 178 

1857      184 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

page 

East  Wind 185 

Daily  Bread 187 

Fearfidness 190 

Rome:  Pope 191 

Napoleon  to  Napoleon 193 

Napoleon  I. ;  what  of  him  ? 195 

Corpse  Candles 197 

The  Fay. Soul 201 

Edward  Francis  Finden       205 

Berzelius  :  his  Laboratory       209 

The  Lawyers  :  tvhat  of  them  ? 215 

The  Fairy  Veils        217 

Harelells       221 

Two  Verses  for  E. 222 

Tegner 223 

The  Diamond 229 

The  Fairy  Wand 230 

William  M.       237 

Immanuel  Kant 242 

Gothic  Architecture         249 

How  can  we  sing  the  Lord^s  Song  in  a  strange 

Land 255 

Charles  Fourier        256 

The  Hand 263 

Uncertainty      268 

Chatterton 271 

James  Robinson        275 

Death^s  Immortal  Light       276 

Be  Patient        283 

Sunday  Message      ib. 

The  Earth  Worm  at  the  root  of  the  Tree       . .  286 

Dalton ib. 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

page 

Kings        .. 293 

Remorse        ib. 

The  Word 299 

Madness        30 1 

Sanity       306 

The  Birthday  of  the  Human  Soul       . .      . .  312 

The  Mark  on  the  Forehead:  what  of  it  ?      . .  313 

The  Palm 316 

Little  Lovers  Throne        ib, 

Liston 318 

The  Young  Artist 325 

The  First  Day      ..  327 

Little  Love        331 

M.  /.  W. :  her  tenth  birthday         . .          . .  336 

E.M.N. 340 

Amen        343 

Little  Evening  Message 344 

The  Lay  of  Worldly  Wine 346 

Tiny  Evening  Message      354 

Have  Faith           355 

The  Second  Voluspd 356 

A  little  Message  for  my  Wife     371 

Charlotte  Bronte      374 

John  Flaxman      380 

The  Tears  of  Swedenborg 383 

She  that  bore  thee        390 

Note 397 


IMPROVISATIONS. 


Look  on  this  slab ;  it  lieth, 
Ready  for  each  that  dieth, 
And  underneath  its  way, 
Gropeth  a  pilgrim  grey. 

He  hath  no  scrip  nor  store, 
His  cup  once  mantled  o'er  ; 
But  in  his  hand  the  wine 
Mouldered  beneath  his  whine. 

And  so  in  coming  here. 
Just  underneath  the  bier, 
He  met  with  hunger's  doom, 
And  courted  poor  man's  gloom. 

B 


IMPROVISATIONS. 

They  told  him  heaven  was  there, 
And  pointed  shaft  for  prayer, 
But  he  was  fearful  lest 
Want  should  his  home  infest. 

He  would  insure  his  life, 
Past  Providence's  knife, 
And  be  so  safe  from  God, 
As  not  to  dread  his  rod. 

So  had  no  time  to  pray, 
Or  out  from  self  to  stray, 
But  kept  his  own  accounts. 
Of  all  his  earth  amounts. 

Daybook  and  ledger,  too, 
Were  stuck  to  him  with  glue 
Of  want  and  stickiness 
That  come  from  will's  recess. 

And  as  his  grave  is  next 
Place  to  his  shop,  perplexed. 
He  lives  within  its  cave, 
And  there  his  shop  doth  have. 

And  when  his  wares  run  short. 
And  when  his  imps  do  sport, 


I 


SLEEP. 

Anxious,  his  grandfather 
Round  him  doth  others  gather. 

And  they  all  moan  at  nights, 
Thinking  of  losses,  frights, 
Perturbing  days,  ships  sunk, 
Debtors  to  ruin  shrunk. 

Such  is  the  carking  care ; 
It  dieth  of  fresh  air  : 
Liveth  in  mine  and  cave, 
And  is  one  human  grave. 


FOR    MY    WIFE. 

Sleep  is  a  field,  most  level : 
Softness  doth  roam  and  revel 
In  wind  with  velvet  finger 
Over  its  grass,  where  linger 
Down  of  all  birds  of  heaven  ; 
Stillness  of  dawn  and  even. 

p  2 


IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  level  ^tis,  because 

In  its  most  smoothest  pause, 

'Tis  canvass  for  intention 

Of  heaven^ s  most  kind  invention  : 

For  dreams  more  sweet  than  life 

Bears  in  day's  coarser  strife. 

Its  levelness  is  kept 

By  all  Health's  gardeners :  swept 

By  cleanness  of  all  kinds, 

And  by  Strength's  ruddy  hinds : 

And  molehills  of  old  care 

Have  on  its  lawn  no  share. 

But  loving  virtue's  roller 
Is  of  that  ground  controller  ; 
And  conscience  plucketh  weeds 
When  first  they  leave  their  seeds  : 
Religion  soweth  grass 
Brighter  than  ever  was. 

Then  when  the  plane's  complete, 
And  when  the  night-times  meet. 
Spirits  of  dream-land  troop, 
Lay  down  the  golden  hoop, 
And  in  its  limits  fine 
Pour  spiritual  wine. 


PEACE. 

Straightway  the  beds  of  slumbers 
Heave  with  plant-music's  numbers, 
And  drama  of  live  forms 
Bursts  from  the  teeming  swarms  ; 
And  sleep  is  revelation, 
Life's  inward  preparation. 

And  thou  mayst  know  thy  waking, 
By  light  from  sleepland  breaking, 
Thy  marriage  and  thy  house, 
If  golden  are  thy  vows  : 
And  what  shall  be  the  power 
That  rules  the  next  day's  hour. 


Peace  is  a  twin  that  roveth  round  the  world  : 
Two  twins  is  peace  with  two  bright  wreaths 

impearled : 
There  is  the  peace  that  cometh  after  war, 
And  liveth  most  secure  from  evil's  scar, 
And  this  bright  peace  hath  feet  that  once 

have  bled, 
And  rubies  rise  for  every  drop  she  shed. 


b  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  other  peace  hath  heaven  for  her  home : 
She  lives    above  the   wars  ;  beyond   their 

dome. 
Her  mansion  is  the  heart  all  unpoUute, 
And  nature  is  not  hers,  but  as  a  flute 
In  which  she  soundeth  from  afar  her  tones, 
As  good  to-morrow  in  fair  evening  moans. 

These  twins  are  one :  because  the  battle  peace 
Into  the  heavenly  calmness  doth  surcease : 
And  like  two  doves,  the  body  of  the  skies 
Calls  up  the  lower  sister  with  her  eyes, 
And  the  twain  marry  for  good  men  at  last, 
And  then  both  peace  and  battle  peace  are 
past. 

A  white-robed  angel  is  in  both  their  stead, 
Earth  is  his  foot,  and  heaven  his  glorious 

head  : 
The  kingdom  then  hath  come,  the  will  is 

done : 
The  Prince  of  Peace  is  settled  on  earth's 

throne  : 
And  then  the  stars  are  wreathed  in  newer 

form, 
And  the  cloud  ventures  forth  without  the 

storm. 


THE    LIVING    LOVE, 


m^t  f  ibiitg  f  #^. 

The  mystery  of  the  living  Love 

Is  not  of  human  origin  : 
It  broodeth  from  its  home  above, 

And  from  its  heaven  within. 

And  still  from  eve  to  mom  it  lives 

Wherever  life  is  true  ; 
And  best  within  the  heart  it  thrives, 

When  heart  the  truth  doth  woo. 

And  furthermore,  it  entereth  far 
Where  pain  hath  fixed  her  seat. 

And  warmeth  sorrow's  chilly  star 
With  its  peculiar  heat. 

And  it  is  near  in  time  of  grief, 
When  sickness  strikes  the  face ; 

And  it  doth  clasp  us,  and  relief 
Is  its  benign  embrace. 

For  who  is  living  Love,  I  pray. 
And  where  is  such  Love  found  ? 

He  is  the  Life,  the  Truth,  the  Way : 
He  is  the  Saviour  crowned. 


IMPROVISATIONS. 


Lord,  sliew  me  Patience  from  the  spirit  ground  : 
That  I  may  know  its  holy  temper's  round. 


Wander,  and  see  how  far 
Star  is  away  from  star  j 
Mysteriously  they  live, 
Far  from  each  other  thrive, 
And  w^hen  their  evening  comes^ 
The  light  of  prayer  outblooms. 

And  so  thy  course  of  being, 
Is  far  from  others  seeing : 
All  men  are  far  from  all. 
Distance  doth  round  them  fall : 
'Tis  the  star-mantle  still : 
The  gulf  of  heavenly  will. 

Moreover,  breadth  of  line 
Doth  around  being  twine  : 
To  show  that  out  of  order 
Springeth  each  being's  border, 
And  that  the  vine  of  God, 
Bears  all  things  on  its  rod. 


I 


PATIENCE, 

And  then  again  the  way 
That  doth  round  being  play, 
Is  blended  with  the  form 
That  wraps  all  nature's  swarm, 
And  multifold  and  free, 
Stands  the  immensity. 

And  thus  from  out  of  life, 
Rolleth  the  river  rife, 
That  hath  the  mission  swift 
To  bear  all  things  their  gift. 
And  to  confine  to  man 
The  circle  of  his  scan. 

So  that  the  web  and  woof 
Which  is  all  beings'  proof, 
Standeth  in  the  intent 
That  God  hath  with  it  blent, 
And  the  fixed  palm  of  him 
Keepeth  his  seraphim. 

And  from  the  whole  of  things. 
And  from  all  eyes  of  wings. 
And  from  all  thoughts  of  hearts, 
And  from  all  error's  smarts, 
And  from  all  sins  forgiven. 
Works  forth  the  patient  heaven. 


10  IMPROVISATIONS. 

It  is  the  ass  Christ  rode 
Into  the  state  of  God : 
And  'tis  the  vaulted  back 
That  never  yet  was  slack, 
But  did  sustain  intense 
The  weight  of  Providence. 

And  under  it  doth  lie 
The  penitence  on  high  : 
The  angels  walk  its  bridge  : 
And  mortals  on  the  ridge 
That  it  presents  to  hurry, 
Drop  over  in  their  flurry. 

But  'tis  the  deepest  ground 
That  God  hath  planted  round  : 
And  'tis  the  largest  thing 
That  God  hath  made  a  king : 
And  it  holds  time  and  space 
Rebuked  by  its  face. 

And  in  it  all  things  root, 

And  heaven  doth  from  out  it  shoot ; 

For  tissue  'tis  of  love, 

That  makes  it  solid  prove  : 

And  angels'  bodies  fine 

Have  patience  in  their  wine. 


PATIENCE.  11 

What  more  :  that  patience  is 
The  Lord  of  life  and  bliss  : 
It  is  the  haste  to  wait 
For  bettering  of  state  ; 
The  quickness  to  forgive, 
And  readiness  to  live. 

Weave  it  into  thy  soul ; 
Make  of  one  web  the  whole  : 
Bearing  thy  burden's  sorrow  ; 
Leaving  thy  soul's  to-morrow. 
Sufficient  is  each  day 
When  patience  is  its  ray. 

Herbert's  sphere 
Beareth  here 
Patience  tear. 
Let  it  fall, 
Slow  and  small; 
'Twill  recall 
Much  and  all. 


12  IMPROVISATIONS. 


I  SEE  it  now :  it  lies  upon  the  plain, 

Like  the  big  drops  of  summer's  pregnant 

rain, 
And  o'er  the  city  hovers,  in  the  breeze. 
And  windeth  like  a  river  through  the  trees. 

The  darkness  doth  espy  it  where  it  lies  : 
And  the  night  loveth  it  thro'  many  eyes : 
And  jewels  of  the  morning  come  and  play 
Around  the  footsteps  of  its  wintry  way  : 

It  is  a  shape  in  starry  garments  clad ; 
It  is  a  joy  w^hose  feet  are  ever  sad : 
And  in  its  hand  it  holds  a  book  of  light, 
Whose   leaves    are   anthems    of  creation's 
height. 

The  shape  converts  :  it  is  a  woman's  heart, 
Red  with  the  dawnfire  of  the  eldest  smart : 
And  from  its  bosom  run  in  ruddy  river 
Shapes  fancy-fast,  whose  outstretched  fin- 
gers quiver. 


SOLITUDE.  13 

It  is  the  womb  of  things  eternal,  made 
Thick,  soft  and  strong  out  of  light's  blazing 

shade  : 
Out  of  the  dark  that  shines  above  creation, 
And  has  for  shadows,  suns  of  every  nation. 

This  is  the  solitude  whose  vacancy 
Peoples  eternal  temples  in  the  sky ; 
Giving  to  all  things  meditation's  mood  ; 
Space  o'er  all  things  for  peace,  first  dove, 
to  brood. 

The  angels  enter  it  with  shoeless  feet ; 
It  puts  them  back  from  mantle  of  their  heat : 
It  is  the  closet  larger  than  the  heaven. 
They  enter  in  when  prayer  from  God  is  given. 

Amazement  is  its  warder ;  and  deep  sleep 
Not  far  within  doth  all  its  loekers  keep ; 
For  pressure  of  immensity  full  soon 
Curdles  the  wanderer  out  of  all  minds'  noon. 

This  is  the  mystery ;  for  not  alone 
Standeth  the  solitude  of  every  throne  : 
Each  sceptred  might  in  heaven  is  nearest 

then, 
When  sight  is  stilled  within  for  mortal  men. 


14  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  sky  hath  solitude  for  last  embrace : 
The  oneness  final  hath  no  second  face : 
And  perfect  love  is  there,  for  pride  is  not 
Where'er  infinitude  is  every  spot. 

And  love  is  solitude  :  it  maketh  one, 
Where  two  before  their  separate  course  did 

run  : 
Oneness  is  loneliness,  thank  God  above : 
And  so  the  air  of  solitude  is  love. 

And  peace  is  solitude ;  for  where  no  fear 
Can  ever  come,  but  gone  is  evil's  rear, 
There  in  the  populous  happiness  peace 

thrives. 
And  maketh  oneness  in  all  angel  lives. 

Thus  solitude  and  multitude  agree. 
And  even-eyedness  of  infinity 
Reconciles  qualities  of  seeming  strife. 
And  makes  our  dark  with  many  life-fires 
rife. 

Then  think  not  God  alone ;  for  vacancy 
Hath  no  one  speck  in  all  infinity  ; 
His  fulness  is  an  allness ;  and  his  love 
Doth  lie  below  thy  mind,  doth  lie  above. 


I 
1 


A    LANDSCAPE.  15 

And  his  great  awfulness  of  solitude 
Is  but  the  nest  of  his  creation's  brood  : 
But  in  himself  no  loneliness  is  found  : 
No  oneness,  but  the  oneness  of  no  bound. 

His  angels  most  and  least  alone,  have  life 
Most  social,  and  with  deepest  oneness  rife : 
Their  path  is  ever  through  the  ways  eterne, 
And  more  and  more,  twain  into  one  they 
burn. 


The  eve  was  filled  with  fire, 
The  darkening  church- spire 
Cast  shadow  far  and  thin. 
And  the  trees  far  within, 
Checquered  and  flecked  with  gold, 
Evening's  rich  gauds  did  hold. 

A  cottage  graced  the  way : 
With  roses  it  was  gay  : 
An  aged  couple  there 
Tempted  the  pleasant  air : 


16  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Sat  in  the  front  to  see 
Evening's  serenity. 

A  wood  was  near  the  road  :  • 
Along  which  many  a  load 
Of  timber  newly  felled, 
Carts  of  the  country  held, 
And  young  lads,  merry-tired, 
Sang  homewards  many  quired. 

They  sang  old  country-tunes. 
Of  harvest-homes,  may-moons, 
With  such  varieties 
As  suited  their  own  prize  ; 
For  each  has  country  muse. 
And  each  peculiar  woos. 

The  lord  and  lady  pass  : 
Figures  for  fancy's  glass  : 
Palfrey  that  ambles  round  : 
Steed  with  a  knightly  sound : 
The  rustical  intent 
Is  wondering  on  them  bent. 

Night  slowly  drops  her  shades, 
Browns  deeper  evening  glades  : 


SAND-EATING.  17 

Candle  on  cottage  hearth 
Gives  light  to  cottage  worth, 
And  thro'  the  window-pane 
Gleams  frugal  supper^ s  reign. 

Bible  comes  forth  at  last, 
To  brighten  evening's  waste  : 
And  prayer  steps  down,  to  shed 
Faith's  light  around  the  bed. 
And  the  old  couple  lie 
In  childhood's  dream  on  high. 


Ever  in  the  mouth  of  man, 
That  doth  lie  that  hath  a  plan 
To  increase  his  body's  store. 
And  expand  his  matter's  shore. 

So  the  grains  of  dust  and  sand, 
Do  within  the  heart  expand. 
Into  wildernesses  great. 
Keeping  of  an  arid  state. 

c 


18  IMPROVISATIONS. 

For  the  deserts  of  the  world, 
Round  about  the  earth-heart  furled, 
Are  from  heaven's  own  law  derived  : 
Come  from  souls  in  sand- sea  shrived. 

Into  oceans  of  such  sand, 
Plunge  and  dive,  and  never  land 
From  dust- waters'  thirstiness, 
Ages  of  mind's  barrenness. 

Oh !  how  lips  are  cracked  like  stones. 
Cracked  and  chapped  down  to  the  bones, 
As  they  lie  Memnonian 
On  great  sand's  horizon- scan. 

Sand  and  they  are  blent  in  one. 
Morning  glares  its  sandy  tune 
From  and  to  and  through  their  gape, 
Red  hot  and  of  glowing  shape. 

It  is  Egypt's  doom  I  see, 
Egypt-mouth  is  shewn  to  me. 
Parched  and  sere  and  blind  and  deaf. 
Mouth  all  senseless,  withered  leaf. 

From  such  doom  avert  our  way, 
Bind  the  sand  in  sheaves  of  day, 


SAND-EATING.  19 

Count  it  for  a  harvest,  Lord, 
That  it  be  not  still  abhon-ed. 

Give  it  not  the  sugar  taste 
To  the  demons  of  its  waste, 
But  lead  up  red  stalks  of  corn, 
From  its  flint  and  drearness  born. 

Let  the  water  come  from  thee 
To  respond  to  corn ;  and  sea 
Roll  back  coverlet  of  dust 
From  the  footmarks  of  the  just. 

Then  redeemed  Egypt  stands. 
Corn-robed  from  her  golden  sands, 
And  the  Nile  pours  waves  of  light 
Towards  thy  Holy  Land  and  height. 

And  the  ancient  sciences 

Bow  their  heads  in  cowled  recess, 

And  in  pyramidic  ray. 

Kneel  around,  and  nightly  pray. 

It  IS  the  sphere 
Of  Cowper's  tear. 


c  2 


20  IMPROVISATIONS. 


Lord,  is  there  special  theme  this  eve, 
That  spirit-muse  were  well  to  -weave? 

The  birth  of  Adam  is  the  first, 
That  hath  within  the  day  been  nursed : 
Take  it  unto  thee;  let  it  hurst 
Its  spirit-hud,  and  watch  the  flower 
That  riseth  in  the  gauzy  hour. 


^t  iirti  of  %Um. 

From  tlie  rock  a  sound  went  forth : 
'Twas  an  echo  of  the  north  : 
On  the  sea  much  people  stood : 
'Twas  the  archangelic  brood. 

There  was  silver  silence  heard : 
Sound  as  of  creation's  bird, 
When  with  noiselessness  of  wing, 
He  doth  wake  the  morning's  string. 

Ever  and  anon  the  noon 
Glowed  with  deeper  presence  down, 
And  the  archangelic  band, 
Mated  heart,  and  clasped  hand. 

Came  a  finger  o'er  the  sea, 
Shoulder  in  eternity, 


« 


THE    BIRTH    OF    ADAM.  21 

Where  the  palace  infinite 
Darkens  with  excess  of  light. 

And  it  stooped  to  rock  of  earth, 
Touched  it  with  a  loving  girth ; 
Spanned  it  betwixt  finger  span, 
Where  a  lightning  river  ran. 

Where  a  love-eternal  ray 
From  each  finger-tip  did  play. 
And  the  rock  between  was  changed, 
Where  the  loving  lightning  ranged. 

And  the  mood  of  many  things, 
Rose  into  the  air  on  wings, 
As  the  river-lightning  ran, 
Music  in  creation-plan. 

Then  the  rock  perceived  its  glow, 
And  the  rock  began  to  flow, 
And  the  image  of  the  skies. 
Slowly  from  the  rock  did  rise. 

And  the  finger-tips  alone. 
Were  applied  unto  the  stone. 
And  the  builded  Adam  rose. 
Like  a  man  of  outward  shows. 


22  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  the  mystery  now  lay 
In  a  second  finger  ray, 
For  the  Adam  incomplete, 
Wanted  all  his  bosom^s  heat. 

So  the  fingers  once  again. 
Sprinkled  on  a  lightning  rain  : 
And  the  mystery  of  love, 
Through  Adamic  heart  did  move. 

But  the  fingers  wandered  now 
To  his  vacancy  of  brow. 
And  the  place  of  thought  was  filled 
With  the  light  those  fingers  willed. 

Then  his  feet  were  next  correct : 
And  no  station  circumspect, 
But  was  put  within  their  palms, 
Fit  for  terra  firmans  calms. 

And  his  fingers,  chosen  joints. 
That  the  oil  of  skill  anoints. 
Were  the  last  completed  tools  : — 
Over  these  the  spirit  rules. 

So  was  Adam  planned  and  made, 
And  his  form  and  figure  'rayed 


THE    BIRTH    OF    ADAM.  23 

In  the  heaven,  law  after  law, 
In  the  firmamental  jaw. 

But  no  life  was  yet  within  : 
For  the  heaven  is  but  a  skin  : 
And  archangels  are  but  flies, 
Save  for  that  within  them  lies. 

So  in  wonder  silences, 
Moved  in  rest  eternal  breeze, 
And  did  mould  without  all  ken 
Body- soul  in  spirit  men. 

And  then  Adam  lived  :  and  life 
Rolled  down  orders'  stages  rife  : 
xVnd  the  rock  of  earth  that  stood, 
Sailed  for  time  on  primal  flood. 


24  IMPROVISATIONS. 

II. 

Q,  Lord;  shall  I  other  song  achieve  ? 

A.  Yea :  the  next  song  is  Birth  of  Eve. 

Within  interior  things, 
Lie  innermost  of  all : 
The  life  of  living,  springs 
Forth  at  their  earnest  call : 
The  voice  of  God  on  earth. 
Sounds  from  the  heartfelt  shore. 
Where  mystery  hath  worth. 
And  where  life  runneth  o'er. 

Eternal  is  the  Word 
That  doth  around  thee  quiver : 
Its  voice  is  never  heard 
Upon  creation's  river : 
But  on  the  banks  of  love, 
Sitteth  the  Word  and  speaketh : 
And  from  its  eyes  above. 
All  things  below  it  seeketh. 

Even  as  nature's  law, 
Unknown  to  nature's  eye, 
Ruleth  with  ancient  Saw, 
Spelt  in  eternity ; 


THE    BIKTH    OF    EVE.  25 

So  rules  the  Word  in  life, 
In  gi'oves  of  living  souls  ; 
And  ignorant  of  strife, 
Through  chords  of  being  rolls. 

It  is  not  meet  to  say 

What  love  God  bears  to  man  : 

He  spread  the  tent  of  day, 

As  portal  of  his  plan  : 

He  made  the  heavenly  arch, 

As  gable  of  his  door. 

He  made  the  sky  for  march 

Of  humble  souls  and  poor. 

And  he  made  love  for  man, 
Helpmeet  for  man  to  have : 
And  Paradise  began 
With  love's  primeval  wave : 
The  mystery  of  all  things 
Sailed  chanting  up  to  him  : 
And  inmost  of  all  rings, 
His  life  alone  was  dim. 

So  then  he  groped  around  : 
The  lions  knew  their  wives  : 
The  plants  upon  the  ground. 
Had  seed  to  break  their  gyves : 


26  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  fishes  in  the  sea 
Were  not  unwarm  to  love  : 
But  Adam  was  not  free ; 
His  arm  was  not  to  move. 

And  on  a  night  he  dreamed, 
(Archangels  knew  his  dream,) 
That  God  above  had  beamed 
Upon  his  hearty's  stream  : 
And  in  his  blood  a  car 
Had  sailed  away  from  him  : 
And  had  become  a  star, 
Twinkling  in  distance  dim. 

And  then  he  clasp'd  his  hands, 
And  sighed  unto  the  star  ; 
And  from  the  golden  sands 
Where  loves  primeval  are, 
He  sent  a  breath  of  hope 
Of  such  aspiring  size, 
That  the  fair  star  did  ope. 
E'en  in  those  distant  skies. 

And  from  its  golden  rim, 
A  red  rain  trickled  down. 
That  spilt  dear  red  on  him. 
And  mantled  all  his  crown : 


THE    BIRTH    OF    EVE.  27 

And  he  fell  on  his  knees, 

In  ecstacy  of  heart : 

And  he  prayed  God  would  please 

To  give  him  starry  part. 

So  straightway  down  it  came, 
Down,  down,  in  dream  was  long  ; 
And  left  behind  it  flame. 
And  shed  before  it  song : 
And  as  its  hair  came  near, 
And  as  its  voice  was  heard. 
The  sound  of  nature's  cheer, 
Through  all  her  dells  was  stirred. 

And  Adam  knew  the  sign  : 
And  started  from  his  couch  : 
And  Eve  was  there  divine. 
His  blessing  to  avouch  : 
And  in  the  bower  of  Eden 
They  wed  the  earth  with  sky. 
And  marriage  so  was  laden 
With  loves'  eternity. 

And  so  the  song  of  Eve, 
Is  hard  to  be  construct ; 
For  mortal  maidens  grieve 
If  light  is  too  instruct : 


28  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  she  is  Adam's  bon-e, 
The  last  of  Adam's  blood  : 
And  she  is  heaven's  great  stone 
On  which  the  Saviour  stood. 

And  she  shall  have  her  rights, 
Born  new  from  age  to  age : 
And  she  shall  miss  her  plights, 
And  she  shall  fire  the  sage, 
And  blood  and  bone  is  man, 
That  wars  for  woman's  side  : 
And  in  Redemption's  Plan 
She  is  Redemption's  Bride. 


The  moonlight  riseth  up ; 

There  is  no  moon  : 
Heaven  is  an  empty  cup  : 

Upset  night's  noon. 

A  shadow  stealeth  on  : 

A  vapoury  man : 
His  eyes  and  ears  are  gone  ; 

His  neck  is  wan. 


ASTROLOGY.  29 


He  casteth  shadow^ s  fear  : 
He  mutters  miicli  : 

He  hath  a  serpent  spear, 
And  a  dog  pouch. 

He  hath  a  poison  bowl  : 
His  arms  are  skins  : 

And  out  of  his  sad  jowl 
A  chant  begins. 

'Tis  incantation's  song  : 
The  moonlight  hears  it : 

The  arrow  of  his  tongue 
Pierces  and  shears  it. 


The  poisoned  moonlight  curdles  : 
The  star- wands  shiver  : 

And  in  the  magic  hurdles 
Imps  run  a  river. 

Death's  heads  leap  frantic, 

And  kiss  for  teeth  : 
They  bite  in  moony  antic  : 

They  form  a  w^reath. 


30  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Death's  zodiac  comes  : 
Sin's  hours  are  there  : 

The  music  thrums  and  thrums 
All  sprites  to  scare. 

Magician  is  at  home  : 
Spell  worketh  hard  : 

Under  its  sooty  dome 
Sitteth  a  bard. 


He  tells  of  fascination  ; 

And  sings  of  signs  : 
And  of  the  transmutation 

Of  watery  lines. 

Day  Cometh  to  the  ring  : 
Light  murders  all : 

Moonlight  no  more  can  fling 
A  moonless  pall. 

Devils  are  brought  to  book : 

To  common  sense  : 
Their  wanderings  are  shook, 

And  their  pretence. 


THE    FOUR    BEASTS,   ETC.  31 

Matter  is  whipped  for  sin, 

For  astrologic  folly  : 
Magic  hath  lost  its  skin : 

It  sleeps  on  holly. 


Clje  laur  feasts  mh  t|^  foxxx  aiiir 
C^toeirtg  €lirers. 

Holy,  holy,  holy,  sang  the  beasts : 
Heaven  was  underneath  them  :  all  the  feasts 
Of  the  love  and  wisdom  of  the  skies 
Underneath  the  mighty  Paradise 
Of  the  beasts  within  the  throne,  are  given : 
Underneath  the  beasts  Divine  is  heaven. 

List  a  marvel :  man  is  man  indeed  : 

Man  is  man  from  his  own  members  greed : 

But  still  within  him  lies  a  deeper  deep, 

And  in  his  open  eyelids  lies  a  sleep. 

And  in  his  breath  there  lies  a  covert  heart, 

And  in  his  being  God  hath  secret  part. 

I  Within  the  throne  of  God,  man  is  not  man : 
Another  world  hath  still  another  scan : 


32  IMPROVISATIONS. 

A  brightness  lies  reposited  away 
That  is  not  night,  nor  ever  is  it  day : 
It  is  the  willingness  to  be  both  things  : 
That  willingness  hath  the  Creator's  wings. 

And  so  the  beast  divine  above  the  man, 
Works  cherub-like  its  own  interior  plan  : 
And  reason  in  it  is  the  cosmic  force ; 
And  will  within  it  is  the  watercourse  ; 
And  soul  within  it  is  the  fire  of  fire : 
And  it  hath  all  creation's  wonder- tiar. 

The  magic  day  of  man  hath  no  ring  here  : 
The  wand  of  little  power  o'er  waters  clear, 
Breaks   short  when  coming  to  the  beasts 

above ; 
The  elders  to  its  challenge  never  move : 
The  skies  have  those   four   beasts  within 

their  rack, 
The  quarters  of  the  divine  zodiac. 

Trust  not  thyself;  but  let  the  river's  light 

Of  holy,  holy,  holy,  from  its  height 

Ray   through   thee,   and   adopt   thee,    and 

transform  thee, 
And  let  the  mountains'  rivers'  glowing  warm 

thee. 


I 


THE    FOUR    BEASTS,    ETC.  33 

And  carry  thee  beyond  the  elders^  voice, 
To  the  throne  centre  where  the  beasts 
rejoice. 

The  likeness  of  a  Man  upon  the  throne, 
A  Son  of  Man,  doth  give  thee  back  thine 

own  : 
Be  as  a  beast  before  him :  eat  thy  grass : 
Look  on  thy  mirrored  face  in  water^s  glass  : 
Gender  thy  kind  as  faithful  as  fool-beasts, — 
In  heaven  thy  board  shall  grow  with  hea- 
venly feasts. 

For  faith  and  love  and  life  and  will  and 

strength, 
And  earth  and  sea  and  joy  and  breadth  and 

length, 

Are  all  create,  the  animals  of  God, 
And  they  all  come  with  cries,  a  holy  flood : 
And  man  receives  his  manhood  from  the  day 
That  the  four  beasts  within  him  pray  their 

pray. 


34  IMPROVISATIONS. 


This  night  the  song  that  doth  belong, 
Is  state  of  man,  when  he  doth  plan 
To  sing  for  pride,  and  high  to  ride. 


Tho^  angels  tread  the  skies 
With  ever  new  surprize, 
And  blend  with  scenes  of  wonder, 
The  music  of  heaven's  thunder 
Is  caught  in  gentle  tones, 
Pealing  through  angel  zones, 
And  waketh  softest  joys 
Where  no  proud  care  alloys. 

The  first  of  music  there 
Is  the  sweet  sigh  of  prayer. 
It  Cometh  like  a  breeze. 
And  stirreth  Eden's  trees, 
And  like  a  ripple  trembles. 
And  like  a  bell  assembles 
Hosts  of  the  spirit  men, 
And  marshalleth  them  then. 

When  they  are  gathered  round. 
Attentive  to  the  sound, 


HORSE    OF    FLESH.  35 

And  hands  are  clasped,  and  voices 

Of  each  one  that  rejoices, 

Are  blent  in  melody, 

As  in  a  peaceful  sea, 

Then  one  strong  lyre  of  angel 

Readeth  forth  song's  evangel. 

The  rest  are  silent  then ; 
And  when  all  say  Amen, 
Amen  in  burdens  bright 
Descends  on  every  sight ; 
And  with  the  light  comes  sound, 
And  with  the  sound  comes  swound, 
And  in  the  swound  comes  verse, 
That  one  and  all  rehearse. 

The  globe  of  poets  then, 
The  choir  of  angel-men. 
Each  sing  a  different  song. 
That  doth  to  each  belong. 
Yet  the  songs  one  and  all. 
Are  of  a  single  call. 
And  make  one  body  free. 
Doth  with  itself  agree. 


Then  in  society, 
Rises  an  anthem  high. 


D  2 


36  IMPROVISATIONS. 

^Tis  as  a  perfume  cast 
From  all  flowers  far  and  fast ; 
And  every  fibre  heaves 
With  perfmne  in  its  leaves, 
And  every  part  doth  thrill 
With  perfmne  from  its  will. 

But  when  men  sing  on  earth, 
Song  hath  no  heavenly  birth. 
'Tis  bred  and  born  alone, 
Within  the  bosom's  stone; 
Comes  from  the  lyre  of  one, 
And  not  from  unison  ; 
And  on  the  horse  of  pride. 
With  vizor  down  doth  ride. 

This  is  the  horse  of  flesh  ; 

Its  hoof  is  in  a  mesh 

Of  swampy  wants  and  wishes  : 

It  hath  the  tail  of  fishes  : 

Cold  in  reality ; 

Hot  in  mere  fantasy  : 

It  dreams  of  heavens  of  singing  : 

But  hell  is  in  it  springing. 

Now  then  choose  well  the  choir 
That  hath  the  numerous  lyre ; 


LIFE.  37 


The  song  with  fellows  mated, 
By  others'  songs  completed  ; 
And  let  the  horse  of  flesh 
Be  lifted  from  the  mesh : 
For  heaven  is  melody, 
And  is  society. 


Lord,  give  me  spirit-song  to-night. 
And  give  the  theme  I  should  indite. 

Thou  shalt  sing  well,  if  faith  be  true, 
And  Life  the  theme  is  given  you. 

fife. 

Life,  life,  life, — oh,  what  is  life? 
'Tis  the  seed-field  of  the  strife  : 
We  sow  in  its  dreary  mould. 
And  the  heart  then  groweth  cold. 

Life,  life,  life,  what  good  of  life  ? 
To  old  ease  'tis  murder-knife  : 
It  doth  kill  oblivion's  charm. 
And  makes  conscience  up  and  arm. 

Life,  life,  life,  the  speckled  thing, 
Snake  in  self- contorted  ring, 


38  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Tis  a  golden  hoop  of  earth, 
Head  and  tail  are  death  and  birth. 

Wend  thee  out  of  this  foul  cycle, 
To  the  dragon  call  thy  Michael, 
Let  his  crest  have  morning  on  it : 
Change  the  keynote  of  thy  sonnet. 

Life,  life,  life,  great  choral  glee, 
Danceth  forth  to  welcome  thee  ; 
Thou  art  thy  Lord's  precious  cup. 
To  him  wine  be  offered  up. 

Melancholy  is  a  phantom. 
Pride,  an  eggless,  henless  bantam: 
Sentiment,  safe  courage-fed. 
Phosphorescence  from  the  dead. 

Life  is  no  putrescent  pond ; 
Life  is  ever  life  beyond ; 
Life  is  moving,  moves  to  God, 
As  ocean-tides  to  the  moon's  rod. 

Life  is  love,  and  cheerfulness 
Is  the  central  God-fire's  dress. 
This  the  basal  song  for  thee. — 
Cultivate  the  spirit- glee. 


ATHEISM.  39 

P0ttir  I]at|  saib  in  lis  \}m% 
^m  is  no  60^. 

Sovereign  is  the  wilderness  to  him, 
Where  the  light  of  pride  and  selfish  whim 
Doth  engender  beauty's  harlot  dress, 
And  the  warmth  of  inward  wickedness. 

There  are  lions  in  the  crags  of  air  : 
Pride  doth  hear  them;  and  with  empty 

stare, 
Claims  them  for  his  subjects  ;  but  their  jaws 
Are  the  witnesses  of  evil's  flaws. 

And  within  the  desolation  old. 

Of  the  ruined  cities  of  God's  fold, 

Birds  of  night  do  keep  their  foreign  state. 

And  feed  pride  with  hootings  long  and  great. 

But  a  spirit  cometh  o'er  the  sea, 

And  the  garment  of  his  panoply 

Is  a  jewel  soft  around  him  flowing. 

And  from  out  his  mouth  a  speech  is  going. 

Come,  he  says,  my  little  children  dear. 
See  the  wilderness  is  dire  and  drear, 


40  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  away,  where  cities  are  not  seen, 
Flocks  I  lead  on  pleasant  pastures  green. 

And  with  crook  in  hand  that  Ancient  One 
Leadeth  forth  a  band  from  Satan  won, 
Where  the  river  is  not  red  with  sin. 
But  the  light  of  holy  love  within. 
With  the  water  hath  a  willing  kin. 

Then  the  city  left  doth  crumble  more : 
And  the  bittern  of  its  screaming  core, 
Tears  its  solitude  with  cruel  sounds, 
While  the  lion  roareth  all  his  rounds. 

Wander  to  the  night-time,  city  vast : 
Speed  to  chaotic  places :  troop  in  haste 
To  the  red  halls  of  vacancy  that  lie 
Far  shovelled  down  in  hell's  prolixity. 

Thou  art  the  atheist  of  the  world,  and  thou 
Hast  earth  for  star  and  seal  upon  thy  brow  ; 
And  ruin  is  thy  garment,  and  thy  head 
The  loss  of  death  unto  the  second  dead. 

Summer  is  on  thee  :  ruin's  summer  heat : 
Spring  hath  been  thine:  the  spring  of  ill 

effete : 


J 


ATHEISM.  41 

Thy  autumn  and  thy  winter  shall  be  fed 
AVith  nothingness  by  hunger's  oldest  tread. 

Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  purge  the  life 
That  made  the  heart  of  man  an  impious 

knife, 
To  cut  the  sight  and  love  that  fly  to  God ; 
And  leave  her  to  the  times  of  level  sod. 

She  shall  be  sown  w^ith  men  again,  when  he 
Completeth  compass  of  his  mercy  free. 
And  ages  of  man's  dust  shall  hinder  not 
The  purge  of  heaven  upon  that  city's  blot. 

It  is  the  sphere 
Of  Shelley's  tear, 
That  wanders  by 
In  fruitless  sigh. 
And  asks  the  wind 
To  ease  his  mind. 


42  IMPROVISATIONS. 


Endless  morning  striveth 

From  the  breast  of  God  : 
Endless  beauty  liveth, 

Budding  from  his  rod  : 
And  the  po^Yers  of  darkness, 

Crouching  in  their  caves, 
Feel  the  mighty  starkness 

Of  old  evil's  waves. 

For  the  breath  creating 

Wanders  forth  from  God  ; 
And  all  beings  mating, 

Is  their  beauty's  rod  : 
And  in  hours  of  fasting, 

Still  they  look  to  him  ; 
And  their  faith  is  tasting 

Light  in  coverts  dim. 

So  therefore  the  centre 
Of  the  creature  life, 

Where  the  Lord  doth  enter. 
With  his  blessings  rife. 


MEMORY.  43 

Is  the  morning  glory 

Of  the  creature's  soul ; 
And  the  moving  story 

Doth  around  it  roll. 

Witness  of  creation,  ^ 

Record  of  the  stars, 
Signet  of  each  station 

Where  the  good  man  wars. 
Warder  still  is  kept. 

On  a  present  throne  : 
He  hath  never  slept, 

Since  he  was  alone. 

He  is  memory  mighty  : 

He  is  memory's  star  : 
And  his  pen  is  weighty ; 

And  his  tablets  are 
Disks  of  starry  sand, 

Spread  from  heaven  to  heaven. 
Where  the  ground  is  spanned 

By  the  justice  even. 

On  that  sea  of  sand 

Words  arise  to  view  : 
]\Iountains  on  the  land 

Of  the  good  and  true  ; 


44  IMPROVISATIONS. 

They  arise  in  ridges 

From  the  substance  fires  : 

And  they  are  the  bridges 
Of  the  world's  desires. 

And  those  mountains  old 

Are  the  eldest  hills ; 
And  from  summits  cold, 

Run  down  judgment-rills  : 
From  the  crags  of  granite 

Which  the  heaven  has  loved, 
Where  the  lightnings  span  it 

In  the  halls  unroved. 

And  upon  the  slopes 

Of  memorial  mounts, 
There  do  gush  forth  hopes 

In  immortal  founts  ; 
And  the  hopes  up  there, 

Not  like  water  here. 
End  in  fires  of  prayer, 

That  to  heaven  do  rear. 

And  from  out  the  hills, 
Stones  are  hewn  for  time  ; 

Blocks  of  wants  and  wills 
Full  of  memory's  chime  ; 


MEMORY.  45 


For  the  morning  stars, 
When  they  sang  together, 

Brought  their  music  bars, 
And  did  stow  them  hither. 

And  so  substance  each, 

On  those  hills  that  lies. 
In  its  heart  doth  teach, 

God's  great  mysteries  ; 
And  the  ruby  bricks 

Of  the  human  blood, 
Have  of  old  been  wicks 

In  God's  halls  that  stood. 

This  is  then  for  sure. 

That  past  human  ken, 
All  things  shall  endure. 

Tending  down  to  men  : 
For  the  veriest  stones 

Of  the  temple  grand. 
Deep,  are  but  the  tones 

Of  God's  morning  band. 

Memory  cometh  hence. 
That  the  earliest  light. 

Dawn  of  Providence 
Into  nothing's  night. 


46  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Kept  recording  ray, 

Secretarial  beam, 
That  no  word  might  stray 

Down  a  lessening  stream. 

And  so  the  Immortal 

Deeper  is  than  stars  : 
Memory's  but  the  portal 

Of  more  memory's  bars  : 
Far  within  the  heaven, 

On  the  ruby  mounts, 
Memory's  pen  is  given. 

Memory's  scribe  recounts. 

Goodness  is  the  thing 

That  doth  memory  make : 
Its  immortal  wing 

Doth  oblivion  break : 
Then  Truth  cometh  first ; 

Seizeth  memory's  line  : 
And  in  glory  nurst. 

Pours  on  the  divine. 

Consciousness  is  so. 

In  its  inward  sea. 
But  the  august  glow 

Of  the  good  and  free ; 


i 


HAHNEMANN.  47 


Of  the  true  and  brave 
In  their  heavens  secure  : 
And  its  downward  wave 
Is  our  memory  poor. 

But  the  ancient  halls, 
Ancestors  of  ours, 
Where  our  memory  calls 
To  the  heavenly  powers, 
Stand  beneath  the  throne. 
Filled  with  wise  and  good  5 
And  they  truly  own 
Memory's  whitest  rood. 


"  For  every  one  that  asketh,  receiveth ;  and  he  that 
seeketh,  findeth;  and  to  him  that  knocketh,  it  shall  be 
opened." — Matt  vii.  8. 

Well  was  the  wayside  trodden : 

The  leathern  bag  was  full : 
The  weary  feet  were  sodden  : 

The  heavy  heart  was  dull : 


48  IMPROVISATIONS. 

I  entered  on  the  courses 

Where  millions  entered  too  ; 

And  they  all  had  their  horses  : 
I  only  had  one  shoe. 

At  length  I  cut  a  stick 

From  out  a  liberal  hedge : 
And  with  that  aid,  more  quick 

Through  the  long  mud  did  dredge  : 
I  came  unto  an  inn, 

Where  landlord's  face  was  kind  : 
And  for  a  time,  within 

Did  peace  and  pleasure  find. 

But  on  a  day  it  chanced, 

Just  as  the  sun  was  risen. 
And  as  the  night  entranced 

Was  ta'en  back  to  its  prison, — 
I  went  out  very  early, 

And  wandered  in  the  field  : 
The  grass  was  heavenly  pearly  : 

And  diamond  glance  did  yield. 

It  spoke  unto  my  glances, 
And  said  that  nature's  laws 

Were  real  fairy  dances. 
And  that  the  onlv  cause 


HAHNEMANN.  49 

Why  men  missed  all  the  meaning 

That  grows  in  everything, 
Is  that  they  ^ re  overweening, 

And  each  would  be  a  king. 

And  so  as  cause  so  small  is, 

So  delicate  and  dear. 
And  as  rude  man  so  tall  is, 

Of  course  he  cannot  hear 
The  voices  of  the  buttercups. 

Or  cheenngs  of  the  firs  : 
But  over  his  hot  stuttercups 

His  rampant  highness  stirs. 

To  breakfast  I  went  home  then. 

And  on  the  table,  lo, 
A  thing  that  made  me  roam  then 

In  wonder's  farthest  glow : 
A  wizard  sure  had  sent  it. 

Or  a  fay  left  it  there  ; 
Or  else  a  spirit  lent  it 

In  answer  to  a  prayer. 

It  was  a  cup  of  waters. 

And  as  I  looked  therein, 
I  saw  the  land  of  slaughters. 

And  saw  the  knife  of  sin  : 


50  IMPROVISATIONS, 

The  board  was  board  no  longer, 
But  it  was  world  at  large, 

And  I  was  angel- stronger 
Than  all  my  wishes  marge. 

I  took  the  cup  and  broke  it, 

And  as  its  fragments  fell, 
The  truth  ran  down  :  I  spoke  it  : 

I  do  remember  well : 
I  said  :  '^  Now,  God  !  pray  hear  me  I 

And  let  my  voice  be  thine ! 
For  thou  art  ever  near  me. 

And  thou  alone  divine. 

And  now  my  doom  is  chosen  : 

I  see  my  future  plant : 
My  life  is  all  unfrozen  : 

And  thy  life  is  my  want. 
Give,  Lord,  another  vessel, 

To  hold  another  drop. 
And  staunch  up  the  blood-wassail, 

And  every  blood-song  stop.'' 

Then  my  foot  parted  thence, 

And  now  another  road. 
Led  past  a  second  fence 

With  mvrtles  well  bestowed  : 


HAHNEMANN.  51 

I  put  my  hand  forth  there, 

And  lo  1  into  my  palm, 
A  myrtle  chaplet  rare 

Came  uncompelled  and  calm. 

Unmoved  by  pride  or  thought, 

I  put  it  on  my  head  ; 
And  now  my  way  was  naught, 

I  lost  all  travel-dread  : 
Miles  were  no  more  to  me, 

Than  washes  to  my  mind : 
And  I  looked  forth  to  see 

That  all  the  grass  was  kind. 

Upon  a  certain  even, 

It  had  no  date  on  earth, 
My  weariness  was  grieven. 

For  it  again  took  birth  : 
And  I  lay  down  to  slumber 

Upon  a  bed  of  thyme  : 
And  there  I  did  encumber 

The  earth  with  weary  rhyme. 

I  dreamt  I  saw  a  fairy. 

And  laughed  for  very  joy  : 
His  manners  were  so  airy. 

And  all  his  foot  so  coy : 

E  2 


52  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  he  came  playing  round  me, 
And  said,  "  My  mighty  sir, 

You  very  much  astound  me 
If  now  a  line  you  stir  !" 

''  Soon  seen,"  I  tried  to  say. 

But  sure  enough  't\s^as  true : 
My  voice  had  passed  away, 

And  nothing  but  a  coo 
Of  inward  wishing  shook  me. 

As  I  essayed  to  speak  : 
And  then  the  fairy  strook  me, 

And  said  I  was  not  weak. 

He  took  me  to  a  dell 

Deep  down  in  violet-heavens, 
Where  beauty  hath  a  swell 

That  outward  beauty  leavens  ; 
And  in  the  arms  of  roses, 

I  saw  great  nature's  heart, 
And  how  her  fi^ame  reposes 

On  innocencj-'s  part. 

And  this  was  revelation 
Of  healthful  import  free  : 

And  spoke  regeneration 
To  all  the  human  tree  : 


HAHNEMANN.  53 

The  land  of  love's  first  temple, 
Where  health  for  man  is  found  : 

For  there  all  meats  are  simple, 
And  every  heart  is  sound. 

My  fairy  came  full  often  : 

His  blest  instruction  stood  : 
His  small  influx  could  soften 

All  touch  of  flesh  and  blood  : 
The  least  of  error's  sourness  : 

The  least  of  poison's  sting  : 
The  least  of  nature's  poorness 

Was  written  in  his  ring. 

My  fairy  was  two-eyed, 

Love  was  in  his  right  gleam  : 
And  poison  was  its  bride 

That  from  the  left  did  stream  : 
The  serpent  taken  up, 

As  Christ  said  it  should  be, 
And  made  a  brazen  cup 

Of  health's  wild  ministry. 

And  now  for  last  of  lay  : 

Hahnemann  standeth  here  : 
His  mission  comes  to-day, 

Founded  upon  his  bier. 


54  IMPROVISATIONS. 

He  died  to  your  world^s  truth, 
And  other  truth  put  on  : 

And  since,  heaven  has  his  youth, 
And  his  old  age  is  gone. 


mm^. 


Upon  a  bank  I  lay, 
And  waited  till  the  day 
Strook  me  with  yellow  ray. 

And  there  I  saw  a  light, 
That  had  a  birdlike  flight. 
And  had  a  radiance  white. 

It  played  upon  my  brow. 
I  felt  I  know  not  how : 
It  was  a  heavenly  plough. 

It  left  not  as  it  found  me : 

It  came  for  work  to  sound  me  ; 

And  with  new  voice  did  wound  me. 


MESMER.  55 


I  asked  it  what  it  meant : 
A  finger-tip  it  sent, 
And  o'er  my  lips  it  went. 

I  was  as  dumb  as  beast : 
I  saw  not  in  the  least : 
Yet  was  mine  eye  increased. 

And  on  another  day, 
I  felt  a  second  ray, 
Most  like  a  child  at  play. 

It  was  so  heavenly  fair  : 
It  nestled  in  my  hair. 
And  wove  gold  tissue  there. 

And  as  my  hand  I  placed, 
My  very  hand  it  graced, 
And  slid  down  to  my  waist. 

And  dropt  a  girdle  there  : 
The  light  of  gems  was  rare  : 
Sheen  was  in  all  mine  air. 

And  on  a  third  time,  lo  ! 
I  felt  more  general  glow : 
Light  came  like  tropic  snow. 


56  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Snow  where  the  clime  white  hot 
Seetheth  in  love's  great  lot, 
And  diamond-ice  hath  plot. 

And  then  I  felt  a  heat 
That  cold  could  never  beat, 
And  lived  within  fire's  feet. 

But  all  this  time,  a  son 
Was  born  a  race  to  run, 
And  a  new  goal  was  won. 

The  ancient  life  of  man. 
Had  caught  a  newer  plan, 
And  more  with  heaven  it  ran. 

I  rose  from  off  my  bed  : 
I  found  I  had  been  dead  : 
My  night's  old  robe  I  shed. 

A  woman  stood  beside  : 
She  was  no  mortal's  bride  : 
Nor  marriage  did  betide. 

Her  name  she  said  was  Love, 
Fire  was  her  name  above : 
The  light  had  made  her  rove. 


MESMER.  57 

She  took  me,  not  by  hand, 
But  by  mine  ether's  band. 
And  led  me  round  the  land. 

I  felt  her  in  my  veins, 
And  she  knew  all  my  gains, 
And  shifted  all  my  pains. 

And  when  she  sailed  aloft. 
Mine  eyes  grew  liquid  soft, 
I  lived  upon  her  waft. 

And  when  she  hovered  down, 
Sleep  settled  on  my  crown. 
And  I  went  out  of  town. 

And  I  said.  Who  are  you  ? 
And  she  said  :  I  am  True  : 
My  other  name  is.  Woo. 

And  I  said :  Where  am  I  ? 
And  she  said  :  Where's  the  sky  ? 
And  I  said :  Let  me  try. 

And  so  we  lived  conversing  : 
And  I  lived  in  her  nursing : 
And  loved  her  light  coercing. 


58  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  when  I  would  have  gone  ; 
She  said  she  was  alone, 
And  had  need  of  some  one. 

And  so  I  took  her  part, 
And  fixed  her  to  my  heart, 
And  we  knew  not  love's  smart. 

And  oft  she  told  me  much 
About  her  lineage  :  touch 
Had  bred  her  in  life's  pouch. 

And  o'er  the  sea  she  flew ; 
The  sea  of  men  she  knew, 
But  could  not  pierce  it  through. 

Till  on  a  day  I  came. 
And  felt  a  vacant  flame  : 
She  filled  it  with  her  aim. 

And  thus  to  men  she  got, 
And  with  them  took  her  lot ; 
And  I  am  her  first  dot. 

So  was  I  born  for  this  : 
With  woman- air  to  kiss  : 
And  to  feel  aural  bliss. 


HEALING.  59 


But  I  have  one  I  own : 
And  I  am  in  His  throne  : 
And  there  my  sorro\ys  groan. 


Pealing. 

Stretch  forth  thy  hands,  new  truth 
Given  down  thy  fingers  line, 

With  prayers  from  God,  pure  youth. 
And  ecstacy  di\4ne, — 
All  these  are  round  the  shrine. 

Health  is  the  second  birth  ; 

Prayer  is  its  rod  ; 
The  serpent  of  the  earth, 

Listing  its  holy  nod. 

Moves  with  the  cleansing  breath  of  God. 

Thou  needest  but  to  pray, — 
No  prayer  of  shame  ; 

No  lisping  of  thy  self-hood  into  day, — 
But  love's  own  flame  : — 
Health  is  thy  prayers  new  name. 


60  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Hands  righteously  upheld, 

Are  cups  of  wine  : 
The  sky  in  all  its  glorious  shield, 

Is  but  the  vine 

That  runs  with  sap  of  health  from  Christ 
his  shrine. 


^Itoofarm:  Mjatcf  it? 

Intimacy  of  all  things, 
Lives  by  way  of  clasped  rings  : 
They  do  wed,  and  weld,  and  fuse, 
Each  into  the  other's  noose : 
And  the  lesson  of  their  way, 
Round  about  in  sphere  doth  play. 

Reckless  of  all  other  life. 
Mariner  of  eldest  strife. 
Boatman  of  the  darkness-flood, 
Charon  of  the  Styx  of  blood, 
Man  chirurgical  is  seen  ; 
With  a  knife  of  meadow  green. 


chloroform:  what  of  it?         61 

It  is  green  because  it  grows 
Like  the  grass,  from  mortal  woes  : 
From  lopped  miseries  ;  from  manure 
That  doth  fertile  grass  ensure : 
But  its  light  is  demon -green  : 
Tint  in  monster  eyewhites  seen. 

And  within  its  wicked  sheath, 
There  doth  also  lie  a  wreath, 
Of  old  paper,  left  for  dead 
By  a  ghost  who  had  misled 
Many  footsteps  on  the  shore 
Where  the  poor  and  sick  are  sore. 

On  that  paper  words  are  writ : 
Words  of  venom  :  these  to  wit : 
"  Heed  not  flesh,  nor  heed  not  blood  : 
Ravens  must  have  daily  food  : 
Carve  and  carve  the  raven- meal : 
Let  the  sinew  taste  the  steel." 

But  in  eld  a  man  there  was, 
And  he  had  a  looking  glass ; 
And  he  saw  within  its  shive, 
jMany  things  that  should  arrive : 
And  he  looked  upon  a  table. 
Gaunt  as  bone,  with  old  blood  sable. 


62  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  upon  a  second  day, 
As  he  knelt  him  down  to  pray, 
Lo !  a  hand  with  bottle  red, 
Drops  upon  the  table  shed ; 
'Twas  a  hand  of  angel  lady. 
Joints  most  musical  and  steady. 

And  a  writhing  form  that  lay 
Stretched  upon  that  table's  sway. 
Straight  grew  calm  as  lake  at  eve. 
And  his  groans  did  cease  to  grieve : 
And  the  steel  looked  up  amazed, 
If  the  silly  flesh  was  crazed  ? 

And  the  ages  past  away  : 
Long  and  long  their  cruel  play  ; 
And  the  steel  gave  note  of  war 
To  the  flesh  and  bone ;  the  scar 
Of  its  murmers  shook  the  flesh 
O'er  which  it  had  rambled  fresh. 

But  in  good  America, 
Come  to  light  another  day  ; 
And  the  dream  of  ancient  seer, 
God  then  showed  us  all,  was  here : 
And  the  steel  took  note  of  man  : 
And  heart  inside  steel  began. 


SIR    ROBERT    PEEL.  63 

Then  thereafter,  civil  fray 
Was  redeemed  from  the  day, 
That  the  knife  of  man  no  more. 
Struck  upon  a  feeling  core, 
But  did  first  disarm  the  sense, 
And  then  work  in  dream's  pretence. 

For  the  law  goes  in  and  in, 
And  the  doom  of  death  and  sin. 
All  the  surgery  of  God, 
Loseth  now  its  cruel  rod ; 
Mercy  sitteth  in  the  steel : 
Love,  in  hardest  commonweal. 


^ir  Robert  fed. 

Oh  !  England  :  land  of  mine  : 
Ancestral  land  of  mine  : 
Thou  art  a  vacant  rood. 
Thou  art  a  field  for  good : 
Thou  art  a  room  for  peace : 
Thou  art  a  world's  release. 

Now  hearken  :  I  will  tell. 
Upon  thia  muse's  shell, 


64  IMPROVISATIONS. 

All  that  befel  my  bark, 
Since  first  I  left  the  dark  : 
And  entered  on  the  ground 
Whose  shore  is  the  profound. 

My  earthly  fame  and  greed 
Stood  in  no  heavenly  stead. 
The  first  thing  that  I  did 
After  my  frame  was  hid, 
Was  to  look  down  my  line, 
And  count  its  gains  divine. 


I  entered  on  a  place 
Decked  forth  with  all  my  race  : 
They  stood,  or  were  depicted, 
And  likeness  each  corrected. 
Expressed  the  gain  of  good 
That  within  each  one  stood. 


The  family  looked  fair : 
They  had  much  natural  hair  : 
And  in  their  teeth  I  read 
That  life  had  been  their  dread. 
And  that  they  looked  around 
To  see  what  might  be  found. 


SIR    ROBERT    PEEL.  65 


Within  each  port  rait- eye 
Methought  I  heard  a  sigh  : 
As  though  a  sorrow- tear 
Were  vocal  far  and  near  : 
And  this,  they  said,  was  woe 
For  those  from  earth  that  go. 

And  as  I  gazed  about, 
Methought  I  heard  a  shout ; 
Just  as  if  pictures  all. 
Had  taken  up  the  ball, 
And  echoed  to  mine  ear  : 
'*  Another  Peel  to  fear.'' 

Then  knew  I  that  the  band 
Was  held  in  Order's  hand. 
And  that  no  thought  of  theirs 
Could  stir  the  spirit- airs, 
But  that  they  one  and  all 
Made  up  the  self- same  ball. 

And  as  I  mused  and  dreamed, 
And  Be  and  Be  not  seemed, 
A  sudden  light  around 
Broke  with  a  glancing  sound  ; 
The  pictures  all  were  gone  : 
And  there  I  stood  alone. 


66  IMPROVISATIONS. 

My  head  had  turban  on  : 
My  hand  was  nigh  my  shoon  ; 
I  bent  me  to  the  ground, 
And  lo  !  within  a  round, 
A  spirit  talked  with  me 
From  a  bright  company. 

He  said  he  came  from  heaven 
AVhere  England's  lines  are  given, 
And  that  he  had  a  rod 
Whose  will  is  England's  nod  : 
And  that  he  had  a  wave 
Whose  deep  is  England's  grave. 

I  stood  beside  his  feet, 
And  felt  his  general  heat ; 
And  looked  up  to  his  knees. 
And  then  there  came  a  breeze 
That  shook  me,  from  his  thigh  : 
It  seemed  to  ope  my  eye. 

And  then  no  longer  blind, 
I  looked  on  much  mankind. 
And  I  saw  Asia's  page, 
Light- margined,  red  with  rage. 
And  England  poured  her  horn. 
And  love  was  on  it  born. 


SIR    ROBERT    PEEL.  67 

And  Africa  came  next : 

She  reeled  and  looked  perplext : 

And  fi'om  her  hair  of  oil, 

I  saw  her  take  a  coil 

That,  twisted  round  the  world, 

Like  a  pearl  wreath  was  curled. 

And  England  took  the  wreath  : 
England  began  to  breathe : 
The  pearls  of  that  dark  ray 
Went  into  England's  way, 
And  lit  her  to  a  room 
Where  light  had  beaten  gloom. 

And  after  that  I  saw, 

And  England  loved  a  law 

That  had  a  golden  heart. 

And  throbbed  with  heavenly  smart ; 

And  England  then  stood  fast, 

And  shouted — Life  at  last ! 

Then, — oh  !  how  strange  is  Life  ! 
For  it  is  fortune's  wife  ; 
And  God  is  life's  own  father — 
Then,  when  my  eyes  would  rather 
Gaze  upon  England's  fate — 
"  Look,"  Life  said,  ''  at  thy  state." 

f2 


68  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Upon  my  feet  I  gazed  : 
Two  stalks  of  corn  were  raised  : 
They  went  to  heaven,  to  heaven, 
To  heaven,  to  heaven,  to  heaven, 
And  my  sight  with  them  too  : 
My  vision  met  the  blue. 

And  as  it  lost  itself, 
Far  in  the  heavenly  shelf. 
An  ear  of  corn  was  seen. 
And  on  it  was  a  green. 
And  palaces  and  hills 
Lay  in  it,  and  great  rills. 

And  then  I  heard  a  song , 
And  it  said  :  ''  Don't  be  long  : 
Growth,  rapid  here  like  light, 
Hath  guided  all  thy  flight : 
And  reared  a  state  for  thee  : 
Now  enter  fi-eedom's  tree." 

And  then  I  raised  my  hand. 

And  lo  !  upon  the  land. 

The  shadow  of  the  sun 

Plaited  a  wreath  that  run 

In  golden  twine  of  beams. 

Shot  through  with  quivering  streams. 


ENGLAND.  69 


And  this,  His  said,  is  mine  : 
This  empire,  now  divine  : 
And  I  am  sitting  here 
In  corn  and  vinetree's  sphere  : 
And  England  hath  my  love  : 
England  of  home  above. 


"  Whatsoever  ye  would  that  others  should  do  unto  you, 
that  do  ye  unto  them." 

€nglanir. 

Lamp  of  the  faithful :  hearken ! 
No  longer  counsels  darken  ! 
No  longer  lend  thine  ear 
To  sin,  and  to  sin's  fear, 
But  be  of  love  in  Christ. 
Be  hearts  no  longer  iced. 

My  will  is  here :  my  will : 
On  earth  its  force  could  spill 
And  shatter  and  rend  men  : 
My  will  has  come  again : 
My  will  is  heavenly  now. 
Cromwell  is  in  a  vow. 


70  IMPROVISATIONS. 

He  knows  what  England  wants : 
He  sees  her  gains  and  scants : 
He  cares  not  for  her  glory, 
Nor  yet  for  his  own  story : 
But  for  God- service  cares  : 
That  service  hath  his  hairs. 

Now  listen  :  for  his  use 

Is  rapid  :  so  unloose 

Your  horse  of  doing ;  let  him 

Rush  forward  :  never  pet  him  : 

He  is  a  battle-horse, 

And  has  a  mane  of  course. 

This  evening  he  is  sad : 
Some  evenings  he  is  glad  : 
But  not  to  take  up  time, 
Or  spin  a  poet's  rhyme, 
(I  wish  that  it  was  prose) 
This  is  my  present  nose. 

You're  all  in  the  wrong  way : 
The  sheep  should  never  stray : 
Yet  you  have  left  Christ's  fold, 
"Which  means,  you're  getting  old : 
And  I  must  come  again 
AYith  my  new  battering  train. 


ENGLAND.  71 

The  ardour  of  your  lives 
Runs  mostly  to  your  wives  : 
You  build  up  drawiug-rooms, 
And  mostly  care  for  grooms : 
But  England  wants  new  men : 
And  I  must  come  again. 

I  must  come  in  Christ's  love : 
That  is  the  force  above. 
It  makes  our  nations  gi'eat, 
Because  it  makes  them  wait 
Until  the  Lord  decides, 
So  they  float  on  his  tides. 

But  you  have  no  such  thought, 
And  that  makes  England  naught. 
You  go  into  your  ways, 
As  if  you  made  the  days  : 
And  when  you  come  to  night, 
You  go  into  delight. 

I  went  to  sleep  betimes, 

And  loved  the  morning's  chimes ; 

But  you  go  to  the  dance, 

And  mornings  drop  askance. 

And  England's  eye  dont  see  them, 

Because  her  actions  flee  them. 


72  improvisations/ 

A  time  will  come,  my  boys, 
When  you  will  count  your  toys, 
And  say,  This  doll  won't  do, 
And  that  doll  has  no  shoe. 
And  that  poor  sweetmeats'  lire 
Fills  no  man's  sick  desire. 

Look  out :  look  round  :  go  down 
Into  your  newest  town  : 
See  country  maidens  move  : 
They're  not  a  bit  like  love, 
They  are  like  paper  things, 
And  they  have  paper  wings. 

In  my  time,  Bible  speech 
Was  within  all  tongues'  reach : 
None  was  ashamed  to  preach, 
So  everyone  could  teach. 
Life  was  like  a  round  peach : 
Now,  'tis  a  cut-off  leech. 

Why  !  if  you'd  only  learn 
What  'tis  with  God  to  burn, 
You'd  realize  more  stuff 
Within  your  beings  cuff 
In  one  short  hour  of  dawn. 
Than  all  you  now  can  pawn. 


ENGLAND.  73 


You^re  men  of  battles  still, 
Only  you've  not  the  will : 
You've  the  desire  indeed, 
But  not  the  true  will's  seed : 
You  have'^no  i^pirit,  boys  : 
But  all  things  are  your  toys. 

If  you  would  only  know 
AVhat  thing  it  is  to  glow, 
You  would  dispute  no  more 
Than  ocean  in  its  roar, 
But  turn  to  madder  life 
Than  ever  yet  had  strife. 

Madder,  that  is,  in  fling  : 
With  divine  reason's  ring : 
For  you're  quite  mad  enough 
Now,  e'en  in  your  poor  stuff; 
But  now  you  are  mad  sane, 
And  this  is  very  vain. 

Be  carried  off  your  feet 
Some  day  by  generous  heat : 
Let  the  wdld  angel  try 
Some  day  to  raise  your  thigh : 
See  how  it  feels  to  bless, — 
If  love  be  happiness. 


74  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Experiment  for  God : 
Try  him  :  and  list  his  nod  : 
You'll  find  that  being  moved 
By  Him  who  all  things  proved, 
Hath  that  within  its  palm, 
Which  maketh  powerful-calm. 

And  now  another  thing  : 
Again  you  have  a  king : 
Make  her  a  real  one 
By  shouldering  her  throne  : 
Supporting  her  and  you  : 
Make  her  a  monarch  true. 

She  is  as  good  as  I : 
Though  I  am  now  on  high  : 
But  then  I  made  my  throne : 
And  she  has  got  her  bone  : 
Let  be :  let  go  :  I'm  gone  : 
Now  rally  to  her  throne. 


E.  n,  i  ij 


A  SOLEMN  lay  comes  slowly, 
It  peals  from  earth  to  heaven, 

Grand  is  the  strain  and  holy 
That  now  to  thee  is  given. 

Thou  art  a  bride  of  spirit, 

A  sister  of  our  skies. 
The  house  thou  shalt  inherit 

Four  square  before  thee  lies. 

Its  portico  is  marble, 

Its  stairs  are  ruby  red. 
The  birds  of  gladness  warble 

Their  gushings  overhead, 

Among  the  golden  globes 
Of  fruit  that  hang  around  ; 

The  house  is  clad  in  robes 
Of  beauty  and  of  sound. 

That  float  about  festooning 
All  things  with  beauty  here  ; 

The  melodies  are  crooning 

Round  land  and  field  and  mere. 


76  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  in  that  house  a  jewel 

Set  fitly  for  thy  breast : 
Ah !  spirit  was  not  cruel 

That  gave  him  such  a  rest. 

Then  walk  up  to  the  casket, 

Thy  life  is  near  the  door, 
'Twill  open  if  thou  ask  it, 

And  o'er  thee,  spirit  pour. 

Thou  art  not  far  from  heaven, 
Thou  art  not  far  from  love  ; 

Thy  dower  is  sevenfold  seven, 
Thy  hopes  are  fixed  above. 

Yet  earth  does  well  to  keep  thee, 
For  thy  good  deeds  are  needed : 

We  only  yet  would  steep  thee 
In  spirit- powers  :  unheeded 

Thy  husband  oft  is  with  thee,  dear. 
And  he  has  led  thee  on  : 

One  day  thou  shalt  see  all  things  clear, 
For  home  will  then  be  won. 
And  separation's  day  be  done. 


THE    BIRTH    OF    ACONITE.  77 


m  ^Irtl]  of  icanite. 

Not  far  from  thence  where  first  the  wild 

goat  wandered, 
When  his  lone  footsteps  sought  the  silent 

heath, 

And  skirted  by  the  river  of  black  mud 
That  flowed  along,  and  filled  its  banks  with 

slime 
And  miry  creatm-es,  on  the  other  shore 
Of  Lethe's  sullen  wave,  a  plant  there  grew 
Which  weltered  in  the  slime,  and  loved  it 

well. 

Apart  from  all  it  drew  a  mystic  line. 
And  led  a  mystic  life,  a  life  of  poison, 
Such  as  the  robber  leads  in  his  dim  den 
Of  murderous  resolve,  or  as  the  gamester 
Leads  at  the  table,  when  his  wolfish  eyes 
|Eat  up  the  pool,  and  gorge  his  neighbour's 
life. 

There  grew  it,  and  there  grows  it  still,  but 

now. 
Or  ere  the  moon  has  filled  her  quarter  first, 


78  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  while  her  horn  Is  young,  and  is  so  sharp 
That  like  a  dirk  it  stabs  the  midnight  air, 
That  plant  is  on  the  move  :  it  grew  in  hell, 
Or  ere  it  grew  in  earth,  and  now  to  tell 
How  it  came  down,  and  fixed  its  roots  below. 

There  were  two  men,  two  brothers ;  they  did 

play 
With  scorpions  of  foul  passion,  and  the  one 
Did  strike  the  other  with  a  dart  of  death. 
That  gave  his  heart's  red  glue  an  outlet,  and 
It  weltered  down  upon  his  thigh,  and  there 
Congealing,  crusted  in  the  mouldering  air. 

And  so  the  crust  grew  harder,  till  at  last 
It  shaped  itself  in  crystalline  device 
Of  many  daggers,  pointing  each  at  each, 
A  mimic  murder  field  ;  and  then  it  fell 
Into  new  dust,  and  then  new  things  arose. 

Horrible  fungi,  whose  red  lurid  faces 
Shone  out  like  moonlight  on  a  desert  grave ; 
Such  funguses  as  shed  their  mildew  vast 
On  trunks  of  trees  that  long  have  passed  to 

earth, 
And  rot,  and  rot  away.     These  fungi  too, 
Deciduous  like  the  last,  past  off,  and  died. 


THE    BIRTH    OF    ACONITE.  79 

And  from  the   scimi   of  their  foul  corpses 

rose 
Another  race  of  creatures,  arid  beetles, 
Great  horned,  and  monstrous  as  the  jaws  of 

doom. 
These   creatures   too    had   murder's  brand 

upon  them. 
Murder  was  in  them,  and  it  lived  a-through 

them. 

And  had  they  gone  to  fifty  generations, 
Murder  had  been  their  all,  parent  and  child. 

But  yet  they  died  also,  and  from  their  ruin, 
Their  black  some  legs  and  brownsome  villa- 

nies 

0f  intestinal  substance,  swarmed  a  race 
Of  newer  creatures  still,  a  vagrant  race 
Of  winged  vermin,  that  took  flight,  and  fled 
Amid  the  flowers.     AYhat  flowers?     The 

flowers  of  night 
^nd   carrion's  vegetables.      There  they 

spawned, 
\.nd  sped  their  generations  in  their  places. 

^ow  the  last  scene  of  all.     From  out  the 

womb 
[)f  these  last  vagrant  creatm*es,  there  arose, 


80  IMPROVISATIONS. 

By  ancestry  of  murder,  from  the  stings 
Of  old  remorses,  minds  long  laid  in  hell 
In  coffins  of  old  vengeance,  where  they  rot 
And  putrefy  in  most  exceeding  foulness, — 
There  did  arise  a  race  of  ruin  strong, 
A  triple  race,  which  with  forked  adder 

tongue 
Smote  earth  into  its  core,  into  the  womb 
Spread  universal  all  along  the  gi^ound. 
And  earth  conceived  dire  murder,   in   a 

plant. 
This  was  the  Aconite,  and  this  its  birth r 
In  case  it  disappoint  thee,  then  the  theme. 
And  not  the  truth  of  song,  is  all  to  blame. 


m}(  Slljite  pig. 

Within  the  soul 

There  lies  a  pole. 
That  like  magnetic  needle, 

Points  every  flower 

In  every  hour. 
And  every  leaf  and  seedle, 


THE    WHITE    LILY.  81 

In  nature's  loom, 

In  nature's  womb 
( )f  beautiful  inweavings  : 

That  knows  each  herb 

Whose  smile  will  curb 
The  ailing  hearty's  grievings. 

She  has  no  need 

Of  studious  heed 
To  read  the  loves  of  natures  ; 

The  plants  are  hers, 

She  in  them  stirs, 
They  are  her  lower  creatures. 

For  heart  and  brain, 

And  staiTy  train. 
Are  plants  of  her  devices. 

She  weaveth  spheres. 

She  maketh  tears  : 
Sunbeams  and  sorrows'  ices. 

And  she  does  live 

When  she  does  give 
Good  cure  for  all  that's  ailing  : 

She  goes  her  rounds. 

And  most  abounds 
Where  woman  most  is  wailing. 


82  IMPROVISATIONS. 

She  has  the  rose 

To  set  off  snows 
On  cheeks  of  modest  maiden. 

The  lily  fair 

And  stately  rare, 
And  with  rare  virtues  laden, 

Comes  led  by  her 

With  gossamer 
From  spirit  shores  of  healing. 

See,  white  it  swells  : 

Hark,  its  white  bells 
Of  love  and  life  are  pealing. 

The  fairy  chm'ch 

Built  of  the  birch, 
The  rod  of  sweet  religion. 

Is  good  for  sparrow 

Who  wants  his  marrow. 
And  good  for  woodland  pigeon. 

The  lily  dear 

Is  far  too  near 
To  hearts  in  love  abounding, 

To  heed  the  chimes 

Or  hear  the  rhymes 
That  from  that  church  are  sounding. 


THE    WHITE    LILY.  83 

Her  torch  is  love, 

She  lives  above 
On  couch  of  whiteness  sitting. 

Around  her  bed 

Of  yellow  red 
The  bees  of  life  are  flitting. 

She  heals  the  heart 

From  love's  sweet  smart, 
From  too  much  joy  of  loving. 

Her  snow  is  white  : 

And  like  the  light, 
Contrasting  and  reproving. 

Then  use  her  well : 

And  court  her  spell. 
If  such  like  pain  o'ertakes  thee  : 

And  use  her  too 

If  thou  shouldst  woo. 
And  she  thou  wooest  forsakes  thee. 

Remember  ever 

That  God's  bright  river 
Of  healing  floweth  duly, 

And  plant  and  leaf 

Give  good  to  grief 
To  him  that  worships  trulv. 

*  G  2 


84  IMPROVISATIONS. 

For  faith's  the  soul 

That  from  the  goal 
Makes  virtue  all  around  it ; 

In  plants,  in  flowers, 

In  days  and  hours, 
For  him  alone  who's  found  it. 

But  without  faith 

All  plants  are  death. 
All  men  are  carrion- brothers  ; 

And  without  faith 

Great  nature's  wraith 
Arises  till  it  smothers 

Hope  on  her  seat. 

Love  in  her  heat. 
Skill  in  its  workshop  handy. 

Let  faith  then  guide, 

And  ^yiih  thee  ride 
Through  deserts  lone  and  sandy  ; 

They  then  shall  bloom, 

And  nature's  tomb. 
The  lily  and  the  rose 

Shall  both  adorn. 

And  sunny  morn 
Be  poured  on  mortal  snows. 


A  wife's  message.  85 

The  snows  shalt  melt, 

New  lily-felt 
Shall  clothe  the  ground  with  splendor. 

All  shall  be  mately, 

All  shall  be  stately, 
And  love  shall  then  be  tender, 

AYithout  the  smart 

That  tears  the  heart, 
And  works  the  mind's  undoing. 

Yea,  Love  the  lily 

Shall  mount  her  filly 
And  ride  amain  past  rueing, 


i  Mlifc's  llkssage. 

The  bread  of  heaven 

With  holy  leaven 
Descendeth  to  thy  board : 

The  wine  of  joy 

Without  alloy 
Around  thy  hearth  is  poured. 

Provision  sweet 
Of  heavenly  meat 


86  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Awaits  thy  days  to  come  : 

For  virtue's  light 

In  newer  height 
Awakens  in  thy  home. 

Gifts  crowd  on  gifts, 

When  each  one  lifts 
Receiver  to  the  sky ; 

And  God's  great  flood 

Of  living  food 
Shall  then  be  never  dry. 

The  mantling  cup 

That  sparkles  up 
With  fancy's  bubbling  store, 

Is  poor  compared 

With  that  cup  shared 
With  pilgrims  at  the  door. 

For  they  drop  pearls. 
And  each  one  whirls 

Life's  light  amid  the  wine  ; 
For  angel  guest 
Comes  poorly  drest. 

And  seemeth  not  to  shine. 


A  wife's  message.  87 

But  when  he  finds 

Love  ruleth  minds, 
And  charity  is  warm, 

His  dress  doth  flow. 

His  face  doth  glow. 
And  glory  is  his  form. 

And  so  we  get 

Our  coronet 
From  seeming  beggar's  hands. 

And  we  are  crowned 

Where  poor  abound, 
For  there  are  angel-bands. 

In  winter's  dearth, 

In  icy  earth, 
In  snow's  most  dreary  garb, 

Remember  well 

The  hearts  that  swell, 
Yet  feel  dread  winter's  l3arb. 

And  earn  thy  gem, 

And  diadem. 
By  care  around  thee  cast. 

Expand  thy  heart. 

And  do  thy  part. 
And  make  a  cheerful  past. 


IMPROVISATIONS. 

Let  conscience  plead 
For  hearts  that  bleed, 

And  thus  its  own  sores  heal ; 
And  in  thy  home 
Let  large  light  come 

Of  human  Commonweal. 

Heaven  waxeth  so ; 

For  heaven's  flowers  blow 
In  social  clime  of  man. 

Her  sun  too  shines 

Within  the  lines 
Where  God's  intent  began  ; 

In  human  love, 

No  lonely  dove. 
But  well  acquaint  with  others. 

This  winter  time 

This  winter  rhyme 
Tells  all  to  love  their  brothers. 


\V.    M.     W.  <S0 


«t.  it.  H. 

Brownness  of  autumn  is  around  thee, 
Brother, 

Darkness  of  life  has  fallen  on  thy  path. 
Sadness  hath  been  unto  thee  as  a  mother. 

Sadness  is  not  another  name  for  wrath. 


God  gave,  God  takes  away :  his  hand  is  on 
thee  : 
Heavy  its  print  hath  been  upon  thy  brow. 
Yet  even  that  stroke  a  second  heart  hath 
won  thee, 
And  warmer  thoughts  within  thy  bosom 
glow. 


Thy  little  Teddy,  like  a  shaft  of  lightning. 
Shears  through  the  gloom  of  worldliness 
around  ; 

Vnd  from  his  early  gloomy  grave  a  bright- 
ening 
Shoots  forth  its  pillar  :  pierces  the  pro- 
found. 


90  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Thy  night  is  dying,  and  thy  day  is  nearing. 
Wrap  round  thee  then  the  mantle  of  the 
light. 
Leave  troubling,  shun  dull  care  and  duller 
fearing  : 
Thy  day  is   strong :   arise :   assert  thy 
might. 

The  spirit,  strong  in  love  to  thee  and  thine, 
Commits  these  verses  to  a  brother's  hand. 
They  come  to  earth  :  mixed  with  her  bitter 
wine, 
They  glow  with  sparklings  from  the  hea- 
venly strand. 


€.  W. 


The  doom  is  past. 
It  will  not  last. 

The  gloom  shall  roll  away  : 
The  brightening  star 
Hurries  from  far. 

The  dawn  precedes  the  day. 


E.    w.  91 

The  time  of  death 
That  hides  beneath 

The  wings  of  fatal  hours, 
Uncovers  oft 
Aloft,  aloft, 

The  cups  of  loveliest  flowers. 

They  bloom  on  high. 
When  said  to  die. 

They  fruit  above  thy  ken. 
They  shake  their  seed 
Where  earth  has  need, 

They  come  to  earth  again, 

In  blessed  streams, 
In  odorous  beams, 

In  influences  tender. 
'Tis  thus  we  give, 
'Tis  thus  we  live ; 

And  all  things  to  us  render. 

Blessing  from  God ; 
The  kiss,  the  rod. 

The  bed  of  pain  and  death. 
Are  needed,  dear, 
So  never  fear. 

Thy  love  hath  lost  no  breath. 


92  IMPROVISATIONS. 

His  heart  exhaled, 
His  visage  paled, 

His  tongue  was  voiceless  all. 
They  drew  him  forth 
From  cloy  of  earth, 

From  mortal  shroud  and  pall. 

They  led  him  up 

To  heaven^  s  great  cup  : 

He  sipped  the  deathless  wine. 
He  is  thy  ward. 
He  is  thy  guard. 

And  he  is  ever  thine. 

Thy  love  through  him, 
No  longer  dim. 

Or  bounded  by  dull  earth. 
Has  risen  to  heaven  : 
Two  worlds  are  given 

To  love  in  his  death  birth. 


teddy's  flower.  yS 


In  a  spiral  garden, 

Where  the  clew  of  life 
Falls,  and  life  is  warden, 

And  where  love  is  rife : 
In  an  angel  meadow, 

Where  all  flowers  are  good, 
Standeth  in  days  shadow, 

This  surpassing  bud. 

'Tis  the  flower  of  hope  life, 

Youthful  spirit  powers : 
Every  leaf  doth  ope  life 

Into  better  hours : 
Leaves  like  sky  expanding, 

Fall  in  downward  dome  ; 
But  in  centre  landing, 

Lo  !  the  buds  of  home. 

And  the  stem  is  woven 

In  and  out  to  show, 
That  the  hope  is  cloven, 

— cloven  not  with  woe, — 


94  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  with  change  supporting, 
Which  doth  deepen  joy, 

And  doth  ans\yer  sporting, 
In  the  heart  of  boy. 

Leaves  are  all  transparent, 

Like  the  mind  of  him 
Who  to  either  parent 

Sendeth  flowery  brim  : 
Cup  of  hope  eternal, — 

Sip  it  father  dear  : 
And  my  mother ;  vernal 

Is  thy  beauty  here. 

And  beneath  the  floweret 

See  the  coming  bud  : 
Ringed  within  its  boweret. 

Safe  within  its  hood. 
Waiting  to  be  born ; 

But  when  forth  it  comes, — 
Mark  me,  then  the  morn 

Hath  far  other  blooms. 

For  like  hope  itself. 

Flower  of  hope  doth  change, 
Not  laid  on  the  shelf. 

But  of  endless  range ; 


TEDDY^S    FLOWER.  95 

So  the  lowly  pod 

Underneath  that  lies, 
Meaneth  more  of  God ; 

Greater  spirit  prize. 

Now  good  night,  mamma. 

And  good  night,  my  father. 
My  spirit  saith,  haha  ! 

And  smiles  to  see  you  gather 
Flowers  from  my  beds, 

As  I  did  once  from  yom's. 
And  you  shall  have  fi'om  Ted's, 

As  long  as  love  endures. 


Teddy  through  Hood, 

Who  has  walked  through  Teddy's 

wood. 
And  seen  his  garden  wall, 
Because  Hood  loves  the  small. 


96  IMPROVISATIONS. 


AA^eek's  curtain,  folded  round 
Time  with  a  solemn  sound, 
Life  sleeps  within  thy  folds. 
The  past  like  dreams  it  holds. 

Surely  'tis  God's  intent 
That  life  should  well  be  blent 
With  sleep,  when  every  tread 
Has  memory  overhead. 

So  may  we  pass  each  glance. 
That  the  whole's  countenance, 
AYhen  met  on  shore  of  heaven, 
May  be  good,  true,  and  even. 


Runic  woman,  what  of  thee  ? 

Where  art  thou  sprung  from  ? 

Where  thy  home  ? 
Underneath  what  tree  ? 


THE   VALA.  97 

Where  the  shadows  roam, 
In  the  old  world  home  ? 

Veiled  the  Vala  cometh  : 

Veiled  she  sitteth  : 
.    Inspiration  bloometh 

As  she  knitteth  : 
Then  away  the  inspiration  flitteth. 

She  is  clad  in  brown, 

Clad  in  black  also  : 
And  upon  her  crown 

Black,  but  not  for  woe : 
And  her  eyes  alone,  her  dark  eyes  glow. 

She  is  set  on  stool. 

She  is  firm  in  trance, 
She  is  in  the  school 

AYhere  the  Norns  do  rule, 
But  never  look  askance. 

She  is  living- dead. 

And  dead-living  too  ; 
Raised  from  grave- mound  bed  : 

Fires  are  burning  blue  : 
And  her  head  hath  crown  of  deathly  dew. 


98  IMPROVISATIONS. 

See,  she  wakes  to  speech, 

Wakens  not  to  life  : 
And  her  accents  teach 

Meaning  old  and  rife, 
Cleaving  time  like  breach. 

Yes,  she  seeth  Odin : 

Seeth  gods  departed : 
Seeth  evil  boden  : 

And  the  good  imparted 
To  the  breasts  with  battle  smarted. 

And  she  seeth  Christ, 
But  not  Christ  by  name  : 

For  her  heart  is  iced 

With  hard  warrior  flame, 
And  her  light  and  love  bring  blame. 

And  the  hours  of  mortals 

Troop  fast  past  her  chair  : 
Rushing  to  the  portals 
AY  here  the  gulfs  of  air 
Swallow  in  endlessness  all  mortals  fair. 

There  is  more  behind  her  : 

And  she  seeth  more  : 
Mystery  to  blind  her  : 


THE  fairies'  welcome.  99 

Seeth  heaven's  shore, 
And  hears  the  hell- waves  roar. 

So  it  fares  with  vision  : 

Mystery  doth  cover  : 
Dream  goes  in  transition  : 

Dream  of  four  leaf- clover, 
That  unseals  the  eye  of  fairy  lover. 

But  the  Vala  song-world, 

Is  not  given  to  thee : 
Thou  art  in  the  throng  world  : 

Not  or  bright  or  free 
For  the  Vala -song's  immensity. 


I 


Pour  forth  the  bells 
In  odorous  notes 
Of  lovely  light 
Upon  the  sky : 
Hark  !  how  it  swells  : 
Hark !  how  it  floats, 
In  colors  bright 
Of  minstrelsy. 

112 


100  IMPROVISATIONS. 

In  upper  air 
I  see  it  glow, 
That  voice  of  earth, 
Among  her  stars : 
'Tis  rich  and  rare, 
And  ether's  flow 
Doth  give  it  birth, 
And  lend  it  cars. 


And  thus  it  comes. 
And  thus  it  chimes. 
Like  scents  of  life, 
All  luminous  : 
Like  bee  it  hums. 
Like  bard  it  rhymes ; 
Its  love  is  rife. 
And  tremulous. 

"  I  am  made  new 
By  tiniest  raj^s 
Of  sparkling  lives 
I  know  not  whence. 
From  ether  blue 
Descend  the  fays 
In  golden  hives 
Of  golden  sense. 


THE    fairies'    welcome.  101 

'*  Mine  olden  round 
Of  darksome  land, 
And  stormy  sea, 
Is  all  too  small : 
I  leap  its  bound, 
I  quit  its  strand, 
I  shake  me  free 
From  earthly  ball. 

^'  My  figure  old 
Of  mortal  gyre 
Is  held  before, 
As  shield  for  me. 
And  from  my  mould 
I  rise  in  fire. 
On  human  shore  ; 
Eternity  I 

"  And  far  away, 
I  see  them  come, 
On  wings  of  love. 
In  wisdom's  light : 
Hail  fairy  day  ; 
The  starry  dome 
Doth  well  approve 
Thy  vestments  bright. 


102  IMPROVISATIONS. 

"  Hail  life  from  God, 
In  forms  so  fine, 
That  angel  eyes 
Can  hardly  see : 
The  path  is  trod 
From  th}^  divine : 
It  brings  the  prize 
Of  spirit  glee. 

''  It  tips  the  dark 
With  silver  points  ; 
It  paints  the  light 
With  golden  line  : 
Mine  ear  a-hark 
Through  all  my  joints 
Pours  gurglings  bright 
Of  music  wine. 

*'  Regenerate  flowers, 
And  fruits  renewed, 
And  grass  like  gems 
My  mantle  are  : 
Within  mine  hours 
Of  tranquil  good, 
I  feel  in  beams 
Mine  ancient  star. 


THE  fairies'  welcome,  103 

**  Electncal, 
I  stand  on  toe 
Of  ether's  quick 
Elastic  frame  : 
I  reach — I  call — 
My  horn  I  blow ; 
I  am  love  sick 
For  fairy  name. 

"  That  name  is  mine, 
The  imps  depart, 
The  goblins  seek 
Their  hollow  shore. 
The  gnomes  of  mine^ 
The  ghosts  of  heart 
Wax  weak  and  weak, 
And  are  no  more. 

"  My  South  is  Truth, 
Mine  East  is  Love, 
My  West  is  Joy, 
My  North  is  Light  : 
And  thus  my  youth 
Doth  stand  above 
Mine  aged  cloy 
Of  former  night. 


104  IMPROVISATIONS. 

'^  All  hail  again 
Ye  bands  of  life, 
Ye  sons  of  God 
From  fairy  climes  : 
Ye  unmade  men, 
Unknown  to  strife, 
Whose  feet  are  shod 
With  heavenly  rhymes. 

**  In  marriage  old. 
In  marriage  new. 
Ye  weld  the  world. 
And  mate  the  stars  ; 
And  'tis  not  told 
How  greatly  true 
The  bliss  unfurled 
Above  your  cars. 

*'  My  voice  takes  light 
Of  prayer  and  praise, 
And  wings  its  way 
About  your  pale : 
By  heaven  bedight 
With  all  heaven's  lays, 
I  w^atch  your  ray, 
And  bid  you  hail.'' 


THE    DANCE    OF    LIFE.  105 


©I]£  ianre  d  fife. 

'Tis  not  in  round  of  commonplace 

Life  keepeth  measure : 
But  rhythmical  her  atoms  trace 

The  turf  of  pleasure. 
There  is  no  lazy-footed  tread 

In  all  creation ; 
But  being  doth  with  being  thread 

Congratulation. 

And  fairy  dances  even  so, 

Are  kin  to  nature  : 
In  tripping  harmonies  they  flow, 

And  each  small  creature, 
Winds  and  unwinds  a  clue  of  work, 

Necessitous, 
Or  else  his  life-light  waxeth  murk, 

And  nebulous. 

And  think  not  that  fay  dances  quick, 

Are  light  and  vain. 
Because  the  dance  most  lunatic. 

On  moony  plain. 


106  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Weaves  wildness  round  tlie  flowers  and  grass, 
And  dizzies  dewdrops'  eyes  : 

'Tis  but  the  swiftness  of  love's  pass 
Athwart  love's  skies. 

For  rightly  seen  all  things  do  dance 

In  goodly  measures  ; 
See  play  of  human  countenance, 

Twinkled  with  pleasures  : 
Eyes  dance  with  full  ring  of  sunniness, 

And  quivering  features  leap, 
And  smiles  do  dance  on  lips  of  loveliness, 

And  tunes  do  keep. 

And  blood  doth  dance  and  sing. 

Yea  shouts  for  joy. 
Within  the  charmed  and  loving  ring 

Of  girl  and  boy  ; 
And  marriage  dances  on  the  green 

For  wedding  day ; 
And  good  prosperity  is  seen 

To  dance  and  play. 

And  in  the  world  of  size, 

Electric  fire. 
Not  peddles  through  its  gait,  but  flies 

In  wheeling  gyre : 


THE    DANCE    OF    LIFE.  107 

Leaves  off  alway  where  it  began  : 

Completed  orb ; 
And  on  the  fairy -circle  plan 

Its  ends  doth  curb. 

So  is  a  law  fulfilled 

In  dancing  fays  : 
And  not  a  jot  is  spilled 

In  their  right  maze  : 
For  things  at  first  seen  strange, 

If  looked  to  well, 
Come  trooping  to  the  range 

Of  reason's  bell. 

God  weaveth,  in  a  word, 

In  circles  fine  : 
And  his  bright  love  is  stirred 

Through  rounded  line : 
For  this  is  e'en  completion. 

And  this  is  new  beginning : 
And  swiftness  urgeth  mission. 

And  dance  is  mood  of  winning. 


108  IMPROVISATIONS. 


m}t  ^mt 


"  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth  :  even  so  is  every  one 
that  is  born  of  the  Spirit." 

PeRAD VENTURE 

This  indenture 
Binds  tliee  past  thy  seeming. 

Spirit  voices, 

He  rejoices, 
Who  has  heard  their  scheming. 

For  they  come  all 

To  the  womb  all 
Of  the  sons  of  mortals  ; 

And  their  madness. 

And  their  gladness. 
Are  new  Nature's  portals. 

Who  can  know  the 

Sad  and  loathy 
Lump  of  Nature's  fastness, 

But  the  man  that 

Has  the  plan  that 
Opens  out  the  vastness  ? 

He  sees  surely 
And  securely 


THE    SPIRIT.  109 


That  in  spirit- workings, 
There  is  sunlight, 
Air  and  moonlight, 

Past  all  former  lurkings. 

Matter^s  fixtness, 
Mankind's  mixtness 

Is  dishevelled  fairly, 
And  from  chaos. 
They  display  us 

Banners  bravely,  rarely. 

New  creation, 

No  fixation, 
But  the  light  of  loving, 

Penetration, 

Impregnation, 
Power's  hand  ungloving. 

So  the  spirit. 

If  we  wear  it. 
Is  the  dress  of  wonder  : 

In  its  God-hand, 

In  its  rod-hand. 
It  hath  love's  own  thunder. 


110  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  it  wanders 

In  meanders 
Of  great  order's  dances  ; 

And  it  beckons, 

And  it  wakens 
To  first  order's  trances. 

It  shall  whirl  thee, 

It  shall  curl  thee, 
Through  great  eyes  of  seeing : 

Oculations, 

Penetrations 
Of  all  optic  being. 

It  shall  throw  thee, 
And  shall  know  thee. 

Through  the  ears  of  mystery ; 
There  set  learning, 
Working,  turning, 

Spires  and  scales  of  historj^ 

It  shall  touch  thee. 
And  avouch  thee. 

Through  the  fires  of  feeling. 
It  shall  thrill  thee, 
And  shall  will  thee 

Through  all  life's  revealing. 


THE    SPIRIT.  Ill 

It  shall  find  thee, 

And  shall  mind  thee, 
In  intelligences, 

Wheresoever 

Life's  white  river 
Flows  through  banks  of  senses. 

And  through  love  too, 

God's  sweet  dove  too, 
It  shall  pilot  courses  : 

Through  the  love  heart. 

And  the  dove  heart. 
It  shall  steer  its  verses. 

And  in  heaven  too. 

Where  the  seven  too. 
Blaze  allmightiest  prism. 

It  shall  hold  thee. 

And  embold  thee 
'Gainst  the  drear  abysm. 

Death's  old  dances, 

Like  romances. 
It  shall  read  in  new  lights ; 

Structured  blessings. 

Sweet  caressings, 
It  shall  sing  in  true  lights. 


112  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  be  fearless, 

Faithful,  tearless 
For  all  earth  can  serve  thee. 

God  is  spirit : 

Lord  is  merit : 
From  Him  never  swerve  thee. 


When  Thought  came  down 

To  wear  his  crown, 
And  marshalled  men  below, 

His  lips  apart. 

Let  forth  his  heart, 
Kight  round  his  world  to  go. 

The  sound  they  gave, 

Shook  land  and  wave, 
And  echoing  heaven  was  pleased  : 

His  face  grew  calm  : 

He  oped  his  palm  : 
His  heart's  great  smart  was  eased. 


THE    ENGLISH    LANGUAGE.  113 

For  in  that  hour, 

Of  infant  power, 
Came  Language  down  to  earth  : 

The  tongue  ^vas  stirred  : 

Forth  walked  the  Word 
That  gave  the  thought-world  birth. 

But  still  he  sat ; 

And  grown  sedate, 
His  heart  w^as  charged  once  more : 

His  eyes  grew  red : 

Their  glory  fled  : 
He  spake  not,  but  groaned  sore. 

Old  Tongue  had  gone  : 

Its  light  had  shone 
O'er  Asia's  eld  and  gloom; 

And  voiceless  now^, 

Thought  pressed  his  brow, 
And  there  Thought's  weaves  did  loom. 

Again  his  lips. 

With  moving  tips, 
Let  out  new  wonder-river : 

Greek  waters  streamed, 

Greek  crystal  beamed 
From  Thought's  intensest  quiver. 

I 


114  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  song  was  sung : 

Beauty  was  rung 
Through  every  bell  of  nature  : 

And  art  and  grace 

Shewed  Thought  new  face, 
And  majesty  new  stature. 

And  evermore, 

From  the  tongue  shore, 
Thought  colonized  new  fields  ; 

And  poured  to  earth 

An  endless  birth, 
That  want  and  beauty  wields. 

But  Freedom  came : 

Touched  Thought  with  flame  ; 
Made  him  direct  with  truth  : 

And  clove  apart 

His  lips  to  heart, 
And  dived  there  without  ruth. 

And  came  forth  red 

From  lip,  and  shed 
New  wind  of  words  abroad  : 

And  Language  ran 

In  Freedom's  plan  ; 
And  England  took  her  rod. 


THE    ENGLISH    LANGUAGE.  115 

And  so  the  robe 

About  man's  globe, 
The  largest  robe  of  art, 

Is  just  the  tongue 

Once  spoken  young 
From  maiden  England's  heart. 

And  spirit-friends, 

To  make  amends 
For  absence  of  their  own, 

Take  Language  ours, 

For  in  its  bowers, 
Their  freedom  need  not  groan. 

But  they  can  say 

Their  tale  of  day. 
In  daylight's  English  speech : 

And  they  can  run 

From  zone  to  zone, 
And  through  that  language  teach. 

It  shall  stretch  forth 

Its  mantle's  worth. 
Till  England's  is  man's  voice : 

Then  Lord,  thy  Word 

Shall  well  be  heard. 
And  all  isles  shall  rejoice. 

I  2 


116  IMPROVISATIONS. 


Bardic  tongue  of  eld : 
Cup  of  waters  held 
In  rude  hand  of  war, 
Spilt  out  fast  and  far. 

Over  earth  thou  spedst : 
Legions  on  thou  ledst : 
In  thy  gyved  hand 
Stood  a  w^arrior  brand. 

War  within  thee  sate  , 
Keeping  hard  estate : 
Oldest  croak  of  song 
Doth  to  thy  harp  belong. 

Entering  thy  door, 
Dusky  spirits  pour 
Mead  and  mingled  blood 
In  a  motley  flood. 

Prophecies  of  time, 
Ringing  forth  sublime, 
Crowd  the  narrow  chime 
Of  thine  Edda- rhyme. 


ICELANDIC.  117 

Scalds  of  warrior-tables  : 
Says  of  iron  fables, 
Shake  thy  vocal  sides  : 
Odin  o'er  thee  rides. 

Violence  and  hate 
Strain  thy  shirt  of  fate, 
Red  hot  hearts  have  said 
All  within  thy  thread. 

Thou  hast  fitted  Death 
With  his  language  sheath. 
And  corpse  eyes  upturned, 
In  thy  coffers  girned. 

Now  thyself  art  dead  : 
Save  that  raven-shed 
From  the  blackness  old, 
Still  is  round  thee  cold. 

But  dry  mustiness 
Doth  thy  glory  press. 
And  the  Geyser  tongue 
Its  last  leap  hath  flung. 

Into  England's  sea 
Rolls  its  tribute  free  : 


118  IMPROVISATIONS. 

There  it  liv^es  for  aye  : 
Iceland's  second  day. 

Yet  shall  spirit  scald 
Crown  its  frontlets  bald  ; 
And  snow  from  new  heaven, 
To  its  crown  be  given. 


¥  fofe  ^JJint  h%(mh^  Ilk  a 

The  pearls  of  air  and  sea 

Were  both  transfused  together, 
And  the  earth  felt  her  glee, 

And  the  fields  had  fine  weather : 
The  voice  of  God  in  spring 

Went  warbling  buds  and  blooms  : 
And  beauty  drew  a  ring 

Above  the  land  of  glooms. 

The  spirit  came  and  w^ent : 

The  flowers  and  blossoms  panted : 

Their  cheeklets  were  besprent 
With  dew  their  heartlets  wanted  : 


THE    DOVE.  119 

Each  fairy  soul  they  housed 

Was  singing  in  their  bells  : 
And  life  was  well  espoused 

To  beauty's  miracles. 

A  throstle  in  the  grove 

Poured  forth  a  throstle  song  ; 
And  rustical  in  love, 

His  blooms  of  voice  were  long  : 
The  trees  were  longing  too 

For  summer's  ardent  kiss  : 
And  laps  of  all  things  woo 

A  still  untasted  bliss. 

Lo  !  from  the  east  a  Dove  : 

It  came  as  silver  dawn  : 
The  earth  did  watch  it  move  : 

And  like  a  mirror's  lawn 
Reflected  its  dear  face, 

And  spread  its  arms  on  high  ; 
And  fainly  would  embrace 

The  shadow  of  the  sky. 

The  Dove  went  wheeling  on : 

The  Dove  went  whispering  forth  : 

It  looked  with  beauty  wan, 
It  silvered  o'er  the  north  : 


120  IMPROVISATIONS. 

To  south  a  ray  it  sent 
Of  a  more  golden  flowei', 

But  in  the  east  it  went 

And  built  a  marriage-bower. 

And  there  it  had  its  young, 

And  there  it  taught  its  brood  : 
And  there  it  tuned  our  tongue, 

And  poured  a  murmuring  flood 
Of  softness  o'er  our  scenes, 

And  love  upon  our  hearth  : 
And  there  its  image  leans 

And  murmurs  of  our  dearth. 

Oh  !  had  we  ears  to  hear^ 

And  eyes  to  see  its  shade, 
And  had  we  hearts  to  fear 

The  Holy  Thing  it  made, 
It  would  come  back  to  men, 

And  nestle  there  once  more. 
And  stretch  its  loving  ken 

Upon  dark  sorrow's  floor. 

I  see  it  come  :  but  why  ? 

Who  hath  deserved  its  wing  ? 
Its  home  within  the  sky 

Doth  blessings  ever  bring  : 


THE    DOVE.  121 

But  still  the  interior  dove 
Hath  kept  to  its  own  clime  : 

And  its  fair  wings  do  move 
According  to  heaven's  rhyme. 

Yet  no :  the  earthly  cope, 

That  had  no  softness  left, 
And  where  the  bed  of  hope 

Of  all  earth's  hope  bereft, 
Was  but  a  dying  eye. 

And  hand  outstretched  for  aid, — 
That  prison,  gloom,  and  sty 

Hath  felt  the  Dove  in  shade. 

And  how  then  comes  it  now  ? 

Not  as  in  other  age. 
With  softness  on  its  brow, 

And  God  upon  its  page, 
But  in  the  evil's  guise. 

And  in  the  raven's  garb, 
And  e'en  as  error's  prize. 

The  booty  of  her  barb. 

The  spirit  quits  her  home  : 

Her  bower  of  Eden's  light : 
jNlankind  hath  learnt  to  roam  : 

The  spirit  knows  their  flight : 


122  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  in  the  felon- cell, 

And  in  statistic  law, 
And  in  the  porch  of  hell. 

The  spirit  braves  its  claw. 

The  Dove  lies  deep  within  : 

Not  seen  of  thief  and  priest : 
Not  seen  of  lawyer's  kin  : 

Though  not  unseen  of  beast : 
Yet  though  they  no  one  know 

What  softness  is  abroad, 
Yet  e'en  great  ice  and  snow 

Suspect  that  they  are  thawed. 

The  Dove  within  them  lies  •. 

The  corn  seeds  last  long  days  : 
The  Egyptian  grain  shall  rise 

And  be  the  harvest's  praise  : 
And  so  the  Dove  of  God, 

Buried  and  lost  and  gone. 
Waits  close  to  every  sod, 

And  close  to  every  throne. 

The  gentleness  of  time, 
The  gentleness  of  life. 

The  unheard  morning's  chime. 
The  heavenly  morning's  strife, 


THE    DOVE.  123 

The  burning  axle  wheels 

Of  Him  the  Sun  of  suns, 
Round  whom  all  creature  reels, 

And  Love  his  cherub  runs  ; 

The  gentleness  of  fire, 

The  softest  down  of  law. 
The  love  beyond  desire 

That  hath  nor  hope  nor  flaw. 
The  wisdom  that  sees  not. 

But  is,  and  joys  in  being  : 
These  all  in  every  spot 

Are  seeing  beyond  seeing. 

The  Dove  can  never  die. 

Because  His  all  things'  heart. 
And  all  things'  pensive  eye 

In  all  things'  better  part  : 
It  is  the  holy  Dove, 

Where  holiness  is  loved, 
JBut  hath  its  home  above  : 

Within  it  heaven  is  moved. 


124  IMPROVISATIONS. 


^eksta^al :  tol^at  oi  it  ? 

Waving,  looming,  monstrous  pinions 

Winnow  plains  of  battle  : 
Bird  compact  of  all  war's  minions  : 

Bird  with  bones  that  rattle. 

Finger  point eth  down  to  vallies 
Where  the  death  clay  swarms  : 

Finger  hath  an  arm  that  tallies  ; 
Arm  hath  gaunter  forms. 

Lo  !  it  wanders  o'er  the  fastness, 

Nature's  forts  of  stone  : 
Then  it  points  up  to  the  vastness : 

Points  with  peaky  bone. 

Heaven  sends  ray  of  lightning  bluey 
Down  to  shoulder  socket ; 

And  the  sinons  thready,  gluey, 
Come  on  arm  to  mock  it. 

Then  the  clothing  keeps  increasing, 

Warrior- head  is  seen  : 
Helm  of  earl  and  knight  for  leasing 

Mates  with  sword-ray's  sheen. 


THE    HUMAN    EAK.  125 

Warrior  stands  in  air,  armed  deadly 

To  his  throat  of  rage, 
And  his  finger  worketh  redly 

O'er  the  battle's  stage. 

"  There  the  host  gave  up  its  glory ; 
There  much  breath  spent  life  : 
And  the  hour  was  poor  and  gory : 
Wiped  with  battle's  knife/' 

Now  the  ghosts  are  still  in  armour  ; 

Ghosts  allied  no  more  : 
And  they  wait  millennial  charmer, 

Ere  their  haunt  is  o'er. 


S^l^  Punmn  Car. 

The  sanctuary  stood 

Beside  an  ancient  wave : 
On  one  hand  was  a  wood  : 

Beside  it  was  a  cave  : 
A  pilgrim  band  was  there, 

A  band  from  distant  shores. 
Where  sultry  is  the  air, 

And  glowing  sunlight  pours. 


126  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  evening  in  the  wood 

Was  rich  with  golden  gifts ; 
And  through  the  branches  stood 

The  glory-flood  in  rifts. 
The  pilgrims  knelt  in  prayer : 

Their  voices  rich  did  rise 
Through  the  red  evening  air 

Like  clouds  of  sacrifice. 

The  calmness  deepened  then : 

The  dusky  calmness  stole  : 
The  moon  from  silver  pen 

Came  forth  for  nightly  goal : 
And  then  the  pilgrim-heads 

Were  laid  in  sleep  around  : 
And  new  contentment  sheds 

Her  dream  on  the  profound. 

This  was  the  dream  they  had ; 

In  dream  alone  'twas  given : 
That  each  one  wakened  glad, 

Within  the  ways  of  heaven  : 
And  then  on  silver  mounts 

Each  stood  wdth  trump  in  hand : 
And  trumpets  all  w^ere  founts 

Of  tidings  sweet  and  grand. 


THE    HUMAN    EAK.  127 

The  trumpets  said  this  say  : 

''-  Come  forth  ye  wearied  bones  : 
Come  seek  the  healing  ray, 

And  hear  the  spirit-tones : 
The  music  of  the  spheres 

Is  from  this  blissful  day, 
Given  down  to  human  ears, 

As  partner  of  their  play/' 

The  trumpets  then  were  still. 

And  from  each  heavenly  top, 
The  pilgrims  saw  a  rill 

Of  new-born  waters  ope  : 
It  ran  unto  a  sea 

AVhose  waves  were  music  fire  : 
And  glorious,  good  and  free 

AYere  all  that  ocean-choir. 


Out  from  the  sea  there  rose 

A  shell  with  coral- lips  ; 
A  flower  that  only  blows 

In  earth's  most  deep  eclipse : 
It  was  an  ear  of  man 

That  came  to  hearken  there : 
And  music- swift  it  ran 

Toward  the  pilgrim's  prayer. 


128  IMPROVISATIONS. 

They  knelt  to  see  it  come : 

But  lo,  when  it  was  near, 
It  took  a  mighty  dome, 

And  was  no  more  an  ear : 
But  like  the  arch  of  night, 

Studded  with  stars  and  stars, 
The  gazing  eye  had  flight 

Among  its  distance-bars. 

The  sound  the  pilgrims  heard 

AVithin  that  temple  ear 
Was  chorus  of  the  Word ; 

And  in  the  circling  sphere, 
No  bird  of  all  the  birds 

That  live  on  earth  or  flood, 
Could  span  the  arch  of  words 

That  there  above  them  stood. 

The  pilgrims  wakened  up  : 

The  night  was  far  advanced : 
The  blessing  of  their  cup 

From  that  hour  was  enhanced  : 
For  nothing  of  the  rhyme 

That  in  the  dream  was  heard, 
But  now  in  waking  chime 

Through  all  their  being  stirred. 


THE    HUMAN    EAR.  129 

The  spirit  ear,  they  found, 

Had  then  been  given  their  heed : 
And  in  each  natural  sound, 

"Was  planted  spirit- seed  : 
And  so  whenever  they  spoke, 

And  syllables  were  said, 
Fresh  meaning  o'er  them  broke, 

As  light  upon  their  head. 

Now  this  is  deep-laid  song : 

Not  seen  at  once  this  lay : 
But  thou  would' st  do  it  wrong, 

To  cast  it  quite  away  : 
So  put  it  by  this  time, 

And  know  that  themes  full  oft 
Are  not  within  thy  chime. 

Are  higher  than  thy  loft : 

And  then  the  spirit  ray 

Gives  light  instead  of  things  : 
Sends  thee  through  air  away. 

On  mereness  of  air- wings  : 
And  yet  the  light  is  true. 

And  yet  the  air  is  air : 
And  thou  wilt  after  woo 

Good  sense  from  spirit  care. 

R 


130  IMPROVISATIONS. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  sat  at  meat  with  them,  he 
took  bread,  and  blessed  it,  and  brake,  and  gave  to  them. 
And  their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew  him  ;  and  he 
vanished  out  of  their  sight." — Luke  xxiv.  30,  31. 

There  was  no  other  there  : 

No  sound  or  voice  was  heard  : 
The  accents  of  his  prayer 

Alone  the  silence  stirred  ; 
The  spirit-watchers  sat 

Invisible  around  : 
And  earth  with  greenest  mat 

Spread  forth  its  circlet's  bound. 

He  rose  from  off  his  knees  : 

He  rose  with  eye  and  hand : 
He  saw  the  forest- trees 

Around  his  pathway  stand  : 
He  stepped  in  trusty  faith, 

He  chose  first  path  he  saw  : 
It  was  the  way  of  death, 

And  of  death's  ancient  law. 

He  read  the  signal  name  : 

Death  written  up  on  high  : 
He  read  the  death  of  shame  : 

He  saw  the  martyr- sky  : 


] 


THE    HUMAN    EVE.  131 

Faces  and  wings  and  heads 
Instead  of  clouds  were  there  : 

And  glory  from  them  sheds 
The  penitence  of  prayer. 

He  trod  the  forest-glade  : 

The  robber- wood  he  trod  : 
And  in  its  deepest  shade, 

He  found  the  light  of  God  : 
But  'twas  the  Wood  of  Death  : 

The  trees  were  dead  men's  bones  : 
The  axe  of  eldest  faith 

Filled  them  with  dying  groans. 

Within  the  wood  a  spring  : 

Of  waters  black  as  pitch  : 
Ungainly,  yet  could  bring 

Sounds,  spirit  to  bewitch  : 
The  waters  of  the  fount 

Were  blood  once  poured  in  sin  : 
Those  waters  never  mount, 

But  crumble  back  within. 

Above  the  spring  a  crown  : 

A  crown  of  ugly  thorns  : 
A  diadem  mean  brown. 

Like  cap  that  thief  adorns  : 

K  2 


1 32  IMPROVISATIONS. 

It  hovered  o'er  the  wave, 
As  though  it  fitted  there ; 

Like  dampness  o'er  a  grave, 
Or  madness  o'er  a  stare. 

Above  the  crown  an  eye, 

Whose  ray  was  bolt  of  black  ; 
It  shot  not  toward  the  sky, 

But  mined  the  hellish  track  : 
And  where  its  glances  fell, 

The  earthway  opened  out, 
And  forth  from  out  the  hell 

Issued  a  rabble  rout. 

A  set  of  creatures  came 

With  caps  of  murky  bone  ; 
Like  skeletons  of  flame 

Their  gaunt  ill-tempers  shone  : 
They  danced  around  the  fount, 

And  with  eye-socket  cups, 
Each  took  his  own  account. 

And  poured  it  down  in  sups. 

He  poured  it  on  his  bones  : 
And  they  hissed  thirsty-glad  : 

And  then  they  oozed  with  groans. 
And  glowed  with  fever  mad : 


THE    HUMAN    EYE.  133 

The  hell  within  the  ground, 

Then  called  them  back  to  board, 

And  then  the  waters'  sound 
In  stillness  deep  was  moored. 

The  Traveller  struck  the  earth, 

With  lightning  wand  he  struck, 
And  oped  to  daylight's  birth 

The  caverns  of  ill-luck  : 
He  saw  the  demon  things 

On  waters  black  that  fed  : 
And  felt  the  frenzy  stings 

That  grew  on  tail  and  head. 

The  cavern  was  all  eyes  : 

Eye-sockets  all  it  was  : 
Like  bone  anatomies 

Impacted  in  dark  glass  : 
It  gazed  and  gloured  and  gloomed 

As  he  the  Saviour  trod  ; 
And  lo,  beneath  him  bloomed 

A  floweret  from  the  sod. 

All  hell  around  him  quaked : 

All  hell  around  him  froze : 
All  hell  around  him  baked  : 

All  hell  had  ague  snows  ; 


134  IMPROVISATIONS. 

That  little  floweret  ran 
With  feet  of  tiniest  love, 

And  kissed  the  heavenly  man, 
And  toward  his  eye  did  move. 

It  was  itself  an  eye  : 

A  spirit- eye  was  born  : 
It  came  from  far  on  high, 

It  came  from  earliest  morn  : 
The  spirit- sun  had  sent 

That  one  angelic  ray, 
And  seraph -swift  it  went 

The  mercy  of  its  way. 

It  shot  through  bolt  and  bar. 

It  shot  through  cave  and  roof; 
It  stood  in  heaven  a  star : 

It  stood  in  hell  a  proof : 
It  was  the  spirit-sight. 

Given  then  by  Saviour  God  : 
The  queen  of  heavenly  light. 

And  Christ's  imperial  rod. 

'Twas  made  into  great  heavens  : 
Into  all  suns  and  spheres  : 

Its  blessed  lily  leavens 
The  gardens  of  our  tears  : 


SONG  :    ITS    DIVINE    BIRTH.  135 

It  is  the  eyebright,  Faith, 
Born  in  dells  deep  and  small, 

That  makes  the  Woods  of  Death 
Lights  waving  shadows  all. 

And  Christ  could  not  have  brought 

This  little  flower  to  you, 
Unless  his  hand  had  wrought 

Through  all  the  realms  of  rue, 
x\nd  had  transparence  made 

Of  heaven  and  hell  alike  : 
Then  oh !  through  light  and  shade 

Let  Christ's  dear  radiance  strike. 


^aitg :  its  VMu  birtlj. 

Willows  were  on  the  shore  : 
And  the  wave  rippled  o'er : 
And  the  reeds  taught  the  wind 
Where  music  it  might  find. 

Boats  sailed  upon  the  flood  : 
And  o'er  its  margin  stood 


136  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Marble  of  palace  tiers, 
Marmoreal  beauty's  years. 

And  then  the  silver  swan, 
"When  all  the  boats  had  gone, 
Came  paddling  from  the  reeds, 
Where  the  wind  music  feeds. 

A  second  swan  came  forth  : 
His  neck  had  empire's  worth  : 
'Twas  arched  with  gems  and  gold  : 
With  beauty  it  was  bold. 

He  sailed  upon  the  mere : 
He  saw  the  marble  tier  : 
He  sat  upon  the  floods 
'Mid  the  marmoreal  woods. 

Lo  !  he  has  ruffled  neck ! 
Lo  !  on  his  breast  a  fleck ! 
Lo  !  blood  upon  his  bill ! 
Lo  !  his  dear  heart  doth  spill. 

Lo  !  he  is  wrapt  in  coils  : 
In  water- serpent's  toils  : 
And  his  observant  eyes 
Are  coldest  twinkler's  prize. 


song:  its  divine  birth.  137 

The  lake  doth  ruby  taste  : 
Red  wine  within  its  waste  : 
The  serpent  licks  with  fork  : 
Venom  hath  done  its  work. 

The  other  swan  doth  heed 
The  serpent's  rancour  greed  : 
And  strikes  him  with  its  foot, 
And  breaks  his  twisted  root. 

So  snake  and  swan  together 
Sink  in  a  deadly  tether  : 
The  water  drinks  them  up 
With  gurgle  in  its  cup. 

The  other  swan  bereft, 
Mourns,  lonely  to  be  left. 
And  cries  with  woman's  tears, 
The  yawn  of  coming  years. 

An  angel  stirs  the  pool : 
The  bench  of  watery- school, 
All  ordered  by  his  rod, 
Sits  willing  to  his  nod. 

The  elder  swan  that  died. 
Hears  underneath  the  tide. 


138  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  music  in  his  ears, 
Melts  away  deathly  fears. 

The  snake  unclasped,  is  seen 
In  slimy  form  obscene, 
A  monster  of  the  ooze. 
That  mud  for  ever  chews. 

And  now  a  stranger  thing  : 
The  place  of  serpent- sting. 
Becomes  a  mouth  of  song 
In  the  swan's  future  long. 

The  crushed  and  cabined  swan, 
O'er  whom  the  deep  had  shone. 
Is  lifted  to  the  brink. 
And  there  begins  to  think. 

And  now  his  voice  no  more 
Is  raucid  as  of  yore, 
But  soft  and  lithe  as  snake 
That  once  his  heart  did  break. 

The  venom  of  the  worm, 
Hath  lost  its  cruel  germ, 
And  his  rank  tooth  but  served 
To  ope  the  mouth  deserved. 


song:  its  divine  birth.  139 

And  so  it  is,  the  swan, 
Death- struck,  hath  ever  done  : 
He  cannot  die :  but  blows 
His  music^s  flower  disclose. 


The  other  swan  is  he 
That  stands  in  mastery, 
And  doth  evade  the  snake, 
And  whose  heart  cannot  break. 


But  music  doth  not  chant 
Her  droopings  for  his  want, 
Nor  petal  out  her  flowers 
Through  all  her  dreamy  hours. 

For  his  heart  cannot  burst, 
Nor  quench  the  spirit  thirst, 
With  blood  poured  out  around, 
Red  rhythmic  on  the  ground. 


The  end  of  all  is  this, — 
That  art,  with  all  its  bliss. 
And  song  with  all  its  notes, 
Pour  from  heart-opened  throats. 


140  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  recreation's  night 
Hath  gentle  song's  delight, 
When  crucifixion's  morn 
Forgets  its  cruel  scorn. 


Onxe  upon  a  weary  way 
Did  an  aged  monarch  stray, 
x^nd  his  crown  was  left  behind, 
And  his  sceptre  did  not  bind. 

And  the  toil  was  great  and  long, 
From  the  morn  to  even  song. 
For  he  had  to  wend  his  way 
Where  the  robber-pilgrims  stray. 

And  his  course  lay  through  the  woods, 
And  across  the  rapid  floods, 
And  beside  the  deep  ravines, — 
Precipice  that  gapes  and  grins. 

But  he  had  one  faithful  man 
Who  beside  his  pathway  ran, 


GENTLENESS.  141 

And  that  good  attendant's  care 
Warded  him  from  forest  snare. 

For  at  eve  a  lion  came 
With  a  mouth  and  heart  untame, 
And  he  took  the  monarch's  skirt, 
And  he  drew  it  into  hurt. 

And  he  plucked  the  aged  man 
Down  upon  the  sward ;  and  ran 
With  his  mouth,  king-filled,  about, 
Treading  round  a  furious  rout. 

Then  the  aged  monarch  cried, 
^'  Would  the  king  had  only  died, 
On  the  throne  of  wisdom's  war. 
Where  the  brave  and  noble  are  I" 

But  the  lion  heard  the  voice. 
And  his  talons  did  rejoice 
As  he  tasted  the  old  king  ; 
And  then  he  began  to  sing. — 

"  What  the  cake  so  good  as  this ; 
Flesh  of  monarch,  not  amiss  ! 
What  the  vintage  half  so  good 
As  a  ripened  monarch's  blood !" 


142  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Then  within  the  boscy  brake, 
Where  he  had  pursued  a  snake^ 
And  had  slain  it  with  a  dart, 
The  attendant  heard  the  part. 

And  he  told  the  lion  old 
That  his  days  on  earth  were  told ; 
Treason  of  the  forest  king 
Had  cut  short  his  rapine's  ring. 

For  that  monarch-king  of  men 
Was  the  lion's  sovereign  ; 
And  that  every  lion  good 
Knew  the  worth  of  human  blood. 

So  the  lion  dropped  his  prey, 
And  would  fain  have  gone  away, 
But  the  squire  with  spirit  net. 
Caught  his  feet,  and  would  not  let. 

And  he  took  him  by  the  claws, 
And  he  strook  him  on  the  jaws, 
And  he  passed  a  magic  hand 
On  all  the  lion's  power- strand. 

And  he  cast  him  in  deep  sleep, 
And  he  made  his  soul  to  weep ; 


GENTLENESS.  143 

And  he  took  his  parts  asunder ; 
Did  un joint  him  for  a  wonder. 

And  he  laid  him  by  on  shelf, 
And  he  sold  him  not  for  pelf, 
But  he  took  his  heart  and  head, 
And  did  weave  it  into  dread. 

And  his  shoulder-bones  he  took, 
And  he  put  them  in  a  book. 
And  the  doom  of  lion  eyes 
Was  to  wander  after  flies. 

And  the  reason  of  all  this, 
Was  a  most  mysterious  kiss 
That  the  lion's  soul  had  given 
To  the  monarch  when  he'd  striven. 

For  by  means  of  this  embrace, 
This  did  happen  in  the  case, 
That  the  lion- soul  had  gone 
Right  into  the  monarch's  crow^n. 

And  the  monai'ch  did  inherit 
Now  the  lion  soul  and  spirit : 
And  the  parts  of  monarch-use, 
Were  rescued  from  the  lion-noose. 


144  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  were  set  in  monarch-hand  ; 
Claws  within  the  regal  brand  : 
Heart  within  the  royal  heart ; 
Brain  within  the  lower  part. 

Teeth  were  mured  around  his  crown, 
Battlements  of  old  renown  ; 
Eyes  were  jewelled  on  the  walls 
Where  the  crown  its  honors  calls. 

So  the  sleeping  lion^s  mass, 
On  a  day  disparted  was  ; 
And  the  beast  of  royal  state, 
Slept  away  its  severed  fate. 

And  the  gist  is  only  this, — 

That  the  hour  of  progresses 

Takes  the  violence  of  time, 

Rampant  'gainst  old  monarch's  chime, 

And  doth  save  the  monarch  old, 
The  well-founded  human  fold, 
From  the  tooth  and  jaw  of  change 
That  in  forest  wrath  doth  range. 

And  doth  lay  the  rage  asleep 
In  the  caverns  of  the  deep, 


GENTLENESS.  145 

By  the  senses'  spell  and  power, 
Ruling  in  the  human  hour. 

And  doth  use  the  violence, 
Gutting  first  its  own  rude  sense ; 
And  doth  give  its  flesh  for  food, 
To  time's  ancient  monarch's  blood. 

So  the  weakness  of  the  earth 
Saved  is  from  demon  birth, 
That  would  tear  the  world  in  twain. 
To  enjoy  ten  minutes'  reign. 

And  the  anarch  is  the  plate 
Of  the  monarch's  dinner  state ; 
And  the  dishes  of  the  mad. 
Are  disparted  to  the  glad. 

And  so  Gentleness  at  length, 
Enters  on  creation's  strength  ; 
And  e'en  evil  yields  its  juice 
To  the  plants  of  calmer  use. 

Fight  the  bad  with  gentle  sword : 
Peace  and  light  from  out  the  Word : 
Love  the  king  whose  heritance 
Eateth  up  all  evil's  trance. 


146  IMPROVISATIONS. 


feittr:  lainto. 


First  shall  his  state  be  sung : 
Then  his  art's  bell  be  rung. 


His  State. 

Look  to  the  valleys  where  the  corn 
Ripens  yet  more  the  mellowing  morn ; 
Look  to  the  hills  where  the  bright  mist 
Rolls  robes  of  white  by  morning  kist. 

Look  to  the  woodlands  where  the  doves 
Crowd  with  their  murmurs  green  alcoves  ; 
Look  to  the  skylands  where  the  clouds 
Mantle  the  East  with  their  glory- shrouds. 

Look  to  the  desert  where  the  sand 
In  the  glowing  fingers  of  day  is  spanned ; 
Look  to  the  sea  w^here  the  foamy  brine 
And  the  starry  vault  are  in  mystic  twine. 

Look  to  the  hills  of  the  golden  day, 
Where  the  temple  of  light  doth  shift  and 

play, 
And  moveth  its  columns  from  space  to  space, 
And  smiles  out  anew  each  moment's  face. 


TURNER  :    PAINTER.  147 

Look :  but  when  looking  is  had  enough, 
Then  prythee  look  upon  other  stuff ; 
For  without  all  looking  the  world  goes  on  ; 
And  without  all  looking  God's  crowns  are 
won. 

Now  look  then  at  me  :  'tis  a  sorry  look  : 
My  little  old  face  is  a  dirty  book : 
My  little  old  feet  are  with  tramping  sore  : 
I  have  left  my  marks  on  the  spirit  shore. 

I  came  here  once  in  a  boat  of  gold, 

Like  a  sunset- warrior  manifold, 
I    And  the  little  arts  around  my  way, 
j    Spread  a  little  tent  of  a  little  day. 

I  was  fanned  by  trifling  Beauty's  fans : 
And  my  boat  was  drawn  by  her  seemly 

swans : 
And  my  trumpet  -  blowxrs   with   shells  of 

pearl. 
Like  meripaids  around  my  boat  did  curl. 

A  change  came  on,  and  my  retinue 
To  ugliest  age  extremest  grew  ; 
And  the  boat  itself  dried  up  to  a  mat, 
And  there  with  my  naked  feet  I  sat. 

L  2 


148  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  Squalors  came,  and  with  palette  dirty 
They  painted  me  pictures,  one  hundred  and 

thirty  ; 
And  I  had  to  learn  from  the  Squalors  art, 
How  to  paint  the  pictures  within  my  heart. 


I'm  still  taking   lessons   from  these   hard 

masters  : 
And  every  daub  is  of  real  disasters  ; 
And  ugliness  oozes  from  out  of  my  brush ; 
And  ferocity's  eyes  are  there  in  their  push. 


For  beauty  is  soul-born  in  spiritual  world : 
And  it  lies  in  good  hearts  in  its  floweret 

curled  : 
And  the  beauty  of  badness  is  ugliness  : 
And  so  I  have  that  for  my  work-day  dress. 


But  still  on  the  Sundays  I  have  best  clothes: 
And  these  are  the  wardrobe  that  wickedness 

knows  ; 
I  am  let  into  paint  for  the  best  day  of  seven, 
And  there  I  sit  rouged  out  till  half- past 

eleven. 


TURNER  :    PAINTER.  149 

But  at  twelve  by  the  clock  of  the  Spirit,  I 
rise, 

And  the  Squalors  come  back  with  my  work- 
day eyes : 

And  again  to  my  lesson  of  mud  and  of  slate: 

And  that  is  my  painting,  and  that  is  my  fate. 


His  Art. 

Hasten!  onward!     Bring  the  palette  here! 
Bring  the  water-pot !    Bring  canvass  clear! 
Let  all  persons  leave  the  room  ;  for  he, 
Poet-painter  broods  in  privacy ! 

Bowls  of  carmine  are  on  the  left  hand  : 
Bowls  of  blue  around  them  gaily  stand : 
Bowls  of  silver  to  the  right  are  seen. 
And  nigh  these  are  bowls  of  meadow  green. 

Lo !  he  comes  :  his  eye  is  duly  mixed  ; 
All  colors  flitting  in  it ;  none  hue  fixed : 
He  shakes  his  eye,  and  out  of  its  full  cup 
The  colors  one  by  one  to  canvass  troop. 


150  IMPROVISATIONS. 

He  sees  them  on  the  canvass  where  he  put 

them  : 
He  knoweth  better  now  than  flout  or  rout 

them : 
He  needeth  only  to  take  matter^s  color, 
And  throw  it  in  their  beds,  to  make  them 

fuller. 


And  so,  his  eye  discharged  upon  the  ground, 
And  through  his  eye  his  fancy's  pregnant 

swound. 
He  goes  to  mixing  with  his  fingers^  will, 
And  round  and  round  about  doth  colors  spill. 

He  works  in  rings,  in  magic  rings  of  chance; 
He  knows  that  grand  effects  oft  run  askance : 
And  so  he  prays  to  Nature,  colour- queen, 
And  swears  a  little  for  a  tint  between. 


Now  mark  him  :  he  hath  green  impounded 
well : 

And  now  he  puts  carmine  out  from  its  shell ; 

And  lovely  blue  with  civil  shake  he  droppeth, 

And  darksome  brown  the  brightening  mix- 
ture stoppeth. 


turner:  painter.  151 

He  works  in  chaoses  :  you  are  no  artist : 
You,  Medium -man,  who  power  to  write  im- 

partest ; 
Suffice  to  know  he  loveth  Chaos  old, 
Because  than  aught  create  she  is  more  bold. 

And  so  he  worketh  ruleless,  not  to  fix, 
And  jfreeze,  and  stiffen  ;  but  to  weld,  and 

mix, 
That  many  elements  thus  got  together. 
May  struggle  into  light  from  Nature's  tether. 

And  he  loves  possibility,  and  hence 
He  goes  far  back  into  confusion's  dance : 
And  shakes  the  dice  of  colors  in  their  prism. 
And  sits  beneath  their  rushing  cataclysm. 

Because  the   world  does    this,    and  every 

morning. 
All  light  comes  blazing  on,   all  darkness 

scorning. 
And  wheresoever  it  kicks  the  dark,   black 

blue, 
Beauty  starts  forth,  blood-vigorous  of  hue. 

So  the  "OldTemeraire,'^  (ah,  England!  long 
That  happiness  shall  live  within  thy  song,) 


152  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Lets  natural  ways  rush  through  him :  so 

may  you 
If  you  have  brains  and  strength,   and  dare 

to  do ! 

Believe   me,    there   are  ways  of  painting 

things, 
That  are  allied  to  the  great  morning's  wings, 
Ways  godlike,    and  the  first  of  ways  is 

this, — 
Seize  your  own  hand,  and  mantle  your  own 

bliss. 

Let  the  World  seize  it :  not  the  little  world 
Of  sighs  and  sneers  and  doubts  and  dandies 

curled. 
But  the  great  world  of  rivers  and  of  suns. 
Through  whose  great  door  the  godward  glory 

runs. 

Leave  something  to  thy  fellow-men  also  : 
Leave  them  the  right  in  seeing  ways  to 

grow : 
They'll  cluster  round  you  if  you  heed  them 

not: 
But  do  you  stand  within  the  Egerian  gi^ot. 


WILLIAM    S.  15.^ 

I. 


Burnished  armour  fitteth 

Well  to  warrior  mood  : 
Boatman  safely  sitteth 

On  the  heaving  flood, 
When  his  helm  is  steady, 

And  his  sails  are  right : 
And  when  all  is  ready. 

Then  is  port  in  sight. 

So  I  gained  the  lifeland. 

Stepped  secure  on  shore : 
And  the  dusts  of  strifeland 

Whirled  about  no  more : 
On  a  mountain  valley, 

First  my  feet  I  set : 
Up  a  verdant  alley 

Wound  a  pathway  wet. 

Heavy  dew  had  fallen. 
And  the  grass  was  rank ; 

And  the  ground  was  swollen, 
And  the  moss  was  dank : 


154  IMPROVISATIONS. 

'Twas  a  moisture  mortal 
That  oppressed  my  feet, 

And  here  at  life's  portal 
Did  my  wayfare  meet. 

I  ascended  slowly, 

Gained  dry  land  at  last : 
To  a  temple  lowly 

Then  my  footsteps  past : 
'Twas  a  hut  for  praying. 

Reared  by  pious  hands  ; 
And  a  pair  w^ere  saying 

There  their  upward  bands. 

As  I  entered  inwards, 

Lo  !  the  temple  seemed 
As  if  all  three  sin  wards 

Had  that  moment  dreamed : 
For  the  Avindow  glories 

That  till  then  had  shone, 
Now  told  darksome  stories. 

Like  blind  eyes  of  stone. 

Wonder  seized  my  being ; 

Cries  of  wondring  too 
From  my  neighbours,  seeing 

Naught  but  blackness  through  ! 


WILLIAM    S.  155 

We  all  met  together 

In  the  temple  midst : 
Each  said,  Brother  !  brother  : 

Light :  my  light,  thou  hidst ! 

Then  with  explanation, 

Satisfaction  came : 
Each  eye  wept  its  ration, 

And  from  each  eye's  flame. 
In  the  central  chamber 

Met  three  rays  of  light. 
And  a  lamp  of  amber 

Under  all  was  dight. 

I  looked  outwards  after  : 

Sun  nor  moon  was  seen : 
I  heard  wildest  laughter. 

Where  my  feet  had  been  : 
And  six  voices'  whisper 

Came  at  once  to  me : 
And  said  :  "  Worldly  lisper  ! 

Where's  your  sanctity?" 

^*  You  have  ta'en  your  temple, 
And  put  out  God's  light : 
You  would  fain  be  simple. 
You  would  sure  be  right : 


156  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  all  your  own  way  though, 
All  from  your  own  eyes  : 

But  now  you  must  stay  though, 
And  learn  otherwise/' 

I  took  up  the  amber, 

Blew  with  lip  and  lung. 
But  its  flame  would  clamber, 

And  play  would  its  tongue  : 
I  tried  all  my  puffings 

To  blow  out  my  candle. 
But  for  all  my  soughings, 

There  my  babe  would  dandle. 

I  took  dust  of  benches, 

I  took  hassock  tops  : 
But  none  suchlike  quenches. 

And  none  suchlike  stops, 
Gushing  fire  of  lamplight. 

Purging  from  mine  eyes  : 
'Twas  a  green  and  damp  light. 

Like  a  meteor's  cries. 

My  companions  hollow 
Both  had  gone  away. 

And  I  fain  would  follow, 
But  my  feet  said,  "  Nay  ! 


WILLIAM    S.  157 

You  must  see  your  light  out, 

Or  'twill  burn  all  down : 
If  it  have  its  spite  out, 

'Twill  consume  your  town." 

So  I  said  :  ''  I  have  it : 

I  will  shut  my  eyes : 
And  the  light  can't  brave  it, 

AVhen  its  fountain  dies.'* 
Then  I  closed  my  eyelids, 

But  could  stir  no  step : 
But  deprived  of  spy  lids, 

All  sight  could,  was,  weep  ! 

Sudden  arm  did  catch  me : 

In  the  dark  it  held : 
Nay,  its  gripe  did  scratch  me : 

'Twas  like  dame  of  eld  : 
Then  I  cried  :  "  Lord  help  me  : 

Or  I'm  murdered  here  : 
This  hot  clutch  will  scalp  me : 

Lord,  Lord,  Lord  of  fear  I" 

With  that  warning  wailing, 
Light  star-faint  did  shine  : 

Like  one  poor  ray  sailing 

Through  dark  midnight's  mine  : 


158  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Then  in  gloom  of  brightening, 
Through  the  window  realm, 

I  saw  harmless  lightning 
With  clouds  harmless  helm. 

And  an  angel  spirit, 

Whom  I  did  not  know, 
But  I  loved  her  merit. 

And  I  knew  her  glow, 
Said  :  ^'  Poor  brother  sailor, 

Floods  are  sad  to  thee : 
Would  thy  cheek  were  paler 

Than  it  yet  shall  be. 

'^  Thou  hast  much  to  wander : 

Much  light  to  undo  : 
Fire  and  frost  to  squander : 

Love  and  light  to  rue ; 
For  in  all  thy  trials. 

Thou  hast  made  thy  state. 
And  filled  all  thy  vials 

With  a  Quaker's  fate. 

''  Thou. dost  make  thine  own  light ; 
Christ,  though,  makes  light  true  : 
Ours  is  but  death-bone-light : 
Dark  light,  wicked  blue  ; 


MARY    S.  159 

Heaven  has  all  her  blessings 

Where  the  lap  is  spread, 
And  love's  true  caressings 

Where  self-love  is  dead. 

*'  So  put  out  the  glow-wonn 

Of  thine  inward  self, 
Which  is  oft  the  slow-worm 

Born  from  heart  of  pelf : 
Then  the  temple's  glory 

Shineth  for  thy  feet. 
And  in  heaven  thy  story 

Shall  have  heaven's  own  heat." 


II. 


ferg  ^. 


I  WAS  thine  earliest  friend, 
Am  still  thy  friend  : 

My  voice  did  earliest  lend 
Its  care  to  tend 


160  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Thy  bed  of  sleep  and  sickness  : 

Thy  little  walks : 
And  I  now  know  thy  weakness  : 

And  thy  heart's  talks. 

Forget  me  not,  dear  James, 

Thine  uncle  neither : 
Both  of  us  have  new  names  : 

Both  are  together : 
You  saw  our  earthly  courting, 

While  yet  a  boy  : 
Learn  now  of  higher  sorting. 

And  heavenly  joy. 

My  death  bed  was  scarce  over. 

When  I  awaked  one  noon. 
And  saw  that  heaven  did  cover 

My  mortal  weakness  soon : 
I  met  thy  mother's  faces. 

They  glowed  with  angel  life, 
And  knew  her  loving  graces. 

And  saw  her  vestments  rife. 

She  took  me  to  a  fountain. 

And  there  I  bathed  my  limbs  ; 

And  on  a  golden  mountain 
Whose  staircases  were  hymns, 


MARY    S.  161 

We  walked  with  new  delighting, 
And  much  1  w  ondered  then  : 

I  saw  her  hand  w^as  writing 
With  rays  of  airy  pen. 

I  asked  her  of  that  scripture  : 

She  said  it  was  a  w^ord 
To  send  a  new  bom  rapture 

To  those  her  loving  stirred  : 
I  saw  flame  letters  springing 

From  out  her  hand  in  air, 
And  music  bells  were  ringing 

With  the  same  fragi'ance  fair. 

We  came  unto  her  mansion : 

'Tis  on  a  separate  hill  ; 
And  it  hath  much  expansion, 

Because  its  length  doth  fill 
A  valley  looking  upwards 

Unto  a  higher  land, 
And  ever  sunny-slopewards 

Its  terraced  breadthw^ays  stand. 

I  entered,  and  a  maiden 

Of  cheer- bright  beauty  came. 

And  her  left  arm  was  laden 
With  baskets  full  of  flame  : 


162  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Bright  flowers  like  fire's  owii  workings 
Were  springing  from  her  care, 

And  they  took  all  mv  irkings, 
And  so  I  left  them  there. 

We  sat  upon  a  silken  bench, 

And  as  mv  fountain  grew. 
And  light  no  day  shall  ever  quench 

Was  lit  within  me  true, 
I  lifted  up  mine  eyes  again, 

And  then  thy  mother  once, 
Bade  me  look  through  her  window  pane, 

And  feel  the  sun  the  nonce. 

I  gazed  :  methought  a  cloud  rose  up. 

And  covered  o'er  the  scene  : 
And  took  the  likeness  of  a  cup. 

And  a  sea  rolled  between  : 
And  as  I  wondered  what  it  meant, 

And  strained  my  heart  to  see. 
The  cup  was  shook,  and  o'er  it  went. 

And  its  wave  flowed  to  me. 

And  further  waiting  then, 
AYhat  the  next  act  might  be, 

I  saw  a  dreamy  glen, 

Filled  with  a  rill  of  fflee  : 


MARY    S.  1G3 

And  cottages  of  flowers, 

Grew  softly  tended  there : 
Methought  they  looked  like  bowers 

Whose  wea\  ing  life  w^as  prayer. 

And  on  a  little  cot, — 

Seemed  little  where  I  stood, — 
There  stood  a  starry  spot, 

Which  said  :  Thy  house  is  good  : 
It  looked  as  but  one  room  : 

It  looked  as  but  a  foot : 
But  I  felt  it  could  bloom, 

Because  it  had  a  root. 

And  so  thy  mother  said  : 

"  Now  Astra,  now  thy  cot 
And  all  thy  daily  bread 

Hath  fallen  toothy  lot: 
And  thou  shalt  homeward  wend, 

And  I  will  go  with  thee  : 
And  one  day  will  we  tend 

In  heart -joined  ministry.'^ 

We  wxnded  down  her  hill, 

And  up  my  hill  we  flew  : 
The  seeming  of  the  rill 

Was  but  heaven's  wealth  of  dew : 
m2 


164  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  flowers  of  virtuous  scents 
And  righteous  hues  were  there, 

And  nearer  still,  contents  : 
And  in  the  homestead,  prayer. 

And  as  we  entered  in, 

The  house  no  longer  strait, 
Broad  length  of  love  did  win, 

And  dignity  for  gate : 
And  angel  ministers, 

Each  posted  for  love's  use, 
Were  welcome  harbingers. 

And  did  our  girdles  loose. 

The  house  not  made  with  hands. 

Yet  made  by  life  of  mine  : 
I  saw  that  all  life's  sands 

Had  quarried  forth  its  wine  : 
'Twas  made  by  him,  the  Lord  : 

'Twas  made  through  me,  his  child  : 
'Twas  built  up  in  his  Word, 

And  through  Him  reconciled. 

But  when  our  day  was  done  : 
Days  here  are  states  of  life  : 

I  felt  I  was  alone  : 

Yet  knew  I  was  a  wife  : 


MARY    S.  165 

I  had  permission  given 

To  leave  my  blessed  place, 
And  quit  my  home  in  heaven, 

To  see  a  lower  face. 

Upturned  I  saw  that  eye, 

It  had  death's  mark  thereon  : 
And  then  I  saw  it  die  : 

And  then  T  saw  it  gone  : 
xV  moment,  and  it  seemed 

Annihilation's  yawn  : 
Faith  came  :  the  God-light  beamed, 

And  with  it,  being's  dawn. 

He  knew  me  not ;  for  I 

Must  wisely  wait  his  good  : 
I  watched  his  every  sigh. 

And  brought  him  heavenly  food  : 
I  was  his  gaoler  first, 

And  then  his  waiting  maid, 
And  then  his  sickness  nurst. 

And  then  we  jointly  prayed. 

He  often  asked  for  me : 

I  said,  Heaven  was  afar : 
And  then,  in  slumber's  key, 

I  shewed  him  cottage- star. 


166  IMPROVISATIONS. 

At  length  the  hill  was  gained : 
Our  state  together  flowed  : 

The  feet  were  then  unstained, 
And  the  new  pair  love  God. 


^t  ^xkum. 


"  The  burden  of  Dumah.  He  calleth  to  me  out  of  Seir, 
Watchman,  what  of  the  night  ?  Watchman,  what  of  the 
night?  The  watchman  said,  The  morning  cometh,  and 
also  the  night :  if  ye  will  inquire,  inquire  ye :  return, 
come." — Isaiah  xxi.  11,  12. 

Ease  is  on  thee  shed  : 

Ease  of  pleasant  lines  : 
And  the  heart  is  wed 

To  the  graceful  vines 
That  do  clustering  trail 

O'er  thy  window-sill : 
Welcome,  brother  !  hail ! 

In,  and  take  thy  fill. 

For  the  night  is  dark, 

And  the  night  is  cold. 
And  the  night  is  stark. 

And  the  night  is  bold ; 


THE    TRAVELLER.  167 

And  the  murky  foot 

Of  the  darkness  steals 
Over  goodly  fruit, 

And  its  heart  congeals. 

Then  the  traveller  said, 

That  the  night  was  his, 
For  a  holy  rede. 

And  a  deed  that  is 
Needful  for  all  days. 

And  for  other  time. 
And  that  pilgrim  gaze 

Must  be  more  sublime. 

So  he  went  his  way. 

And  a  lion  came, 
And  in  darkness-fray. 

He  had  duty-flame  : 
And  the  lion  tooth 

Though  it  bit  him  sore, 
Caught  the  blade  of  truth 

In  its  wicked  core. 

So  again  he  went, 

And  a  cottage  stood  : 
Aged  man  was  bent 

Underneath  its  hood  : 


168  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  a  little  lamp 

Trickled  light  around : 

And  the  walls  were  damp 
With  the  waters  sound. 

And  the  traveller  now 

Asked  about  the  night : 
And  he  strook  his  brow, 

Where  his  helm  was  bright : 
And  the  old  man  said, 

Night  for  ever  more 
Hung  around  his  bed. 

Where  his  blind  eyes  snore. 

And  he  knew  not  day, 

And  he  knew  not  night ; 
For  the  ocean  ray 

Of  the  sunny  light, 
Goes  to  other  balls, 

Setteth  upon  his  ; 
Dwelleth  in  the  hall^ 

Of  a  partial  bliss. 

Then  the  traveller  sat. 
Opened  out  his  scrip  : 

Gave  the  old  man  that 
That  did  bless  his  lip  : 


THE    TRAVELLER.  169 

Wine  from  mountain  sides 

Where  the  barren  soil, 
When  the  sun  betides, 

Gives  both  wine  and  oil. 

And  the  old  man  now, 

Wild  with  joy  and  pain, 
Felt  within  his  brow, 

Two  eye  fires  again. 
And  he  saw  the  light. 

And  he  saw  the  guest. 
And  his  heart  was  bright, 

Waiting  for  the  rest. 

So  the  traveller  said  : 

^'  Lord,  be  here  to-day  : 
Give  us  daily  bread. 

That  our  hearts  may  pray ;'' 
And  the  old  man  too, 

AYonder-eyed  again. 
Heard  the  blessing  true 

Of  the  dear  amen. 

But  in  other  times. 

Comes  the  traveller  same  : 
Visits  other  climes  : 

Other  hearts  to  tame. 


170  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  where  eyes  are  not, 
If  but  blind  is  known, 

There  he  seeks  the  cot. 
And  doth  couch  the  stone. 

And  What  of  the  night  ? 

Is  the  query  first. 
That  betokens  light 

In  the  bosom  nurst : 
And  the  Watchman  here 

Who  is  ever  nigh. 
Is  the  Saviour  dear. 

Come  to  heart  and  eye. 

And  He  says  to  such, 

Says  to  asking-blind, 
That  the  mercy-pouch 

Is  not  hard  to  find : 
That  it  is  the  sun. 

And  it  is  the  heaven  : 
And  that  eye  is  won 

When  the  light  is  given. 

But  that  evil's  rays, 

EviVs  lion-eyes. 
That  see  in  dark  ways, 

Beaming  bright  with  lies. 


THE    TRAVELLER.  171 

Must  be  first  destroyed, 

And  his  tooth  be  broke, 
Ere  light  can  be  joyed, 

Or  good  hearing's  yoke. 

And  the  night  and  morn. 

And  the  morn  and  night, 
That  are  henceforth  born, 

Are  of  second  sight  : 
And  the  starry  sheaves 

In  the  newer  dome 
Are  the  light  God  weaves 

Round  the  heavenly  home. 

I 

He  went  out  by  night, 

To  encounter  ill. 
That  our  seership  bright, 

Might  our  bosoms  fill : 
He  would  take  no  rest. 

Till  the  deed  was  done, 
That  should  see  us  blest 

With  his  spirit- sun. 

Value  then  the  gift : 

^Tis  the  morning  fresh  ; 
Spirit  upward  lift : 

Put  down  lion -flesh. 


172  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Cultivate  the  ray, 

Wind  thyself  thereon : 

It  doth  go  to  day, 

Day  to  Christ,  his  throne. 


Now  pour  wine  abroad  in  goodly  cups ; 
Spirit  legions  come  in  troops : 
He,  the  maker  of  clay-men, 
Steppeth  down  to  earth  again ; 
In  his  hand  a  diamond  chisel : 
Clay  to  him  is  flesh  and  grizzle : 
He  hath  caught  the  secret  way 
That  proportion  hath  to  play. 

He  took  home  from  earth  much  clay : 
'Twas  the  burden  of  his  way  : 
Making  creatures  as  he  went. 
When  he  came,  his  stock  was  spent : 
Then  he  looked  abroad,  and  asked, 
By  the  Maker  to  be  tasked : 
And  he  had  commission  given. 
To  make  statues  twelve  for  heaven. 


THORVALDSEN.  173 

So  he  went  to  work  forthwith  : 
Clad  their  bones  and  joints  with  pith  : 
Put  the  meaning  in  their  eyes : 
Heart  seemed  glowing :  and  sm-prize, 
Wonder,  admiration,  love, 
Through  the  statues  twelve  did  move  : 
But  when  they  were  nearly  done, 
Chance  unlucky  through  them  run. 

For  upon  a  morning  hour. 
When  the  sculptor  waned  in  power, 
Lo  their  heads  bent  down  with  weight, 
And  their  clay  had  tottering  gait : 
And  in  short  they  all  subsided. 
And  into  twelve  clay-heaps  glided. 
So  the  sculptor  rubbed  his  eyes, 
And  he  felt  a  mild  suq^rize. 

What  to  do  ?  the  angels  came. 
And  the  twelve  clay- heaps  did  blame ; 
And  they  told  him,  if  he'd  faith. 
He  might  soon  escape  this  scathe : 
That  the  way  to  have  the  men 
Stand  upon  their  feet  again. 
Was  to  wet  their  bodies  well 
With  the  wave  in  ocean  shell. 


174  IMPROVISATIONS, 

So  to  seaward  then  he  went : 
Down  to  spu'it-sea  he  bent : 
Brought  up  Amphitrite's  horn 
Full  of  beaded  water- corn  : 
Poured  it  on  the  statue  heaps  : 
Then  the  men  arose  with  leaps ; 
And  Promethean- like  they  stood  : 
And  their  veins  held  real  blood. 

Then  they  told  him,  the  next  time, 

Not  to  care  for  looks  sublime. 

But  to  draw  his  mastery 

From  the  ocean  of  the  sky, 

For  that  sculpture  is  the  heaven. 

And  that  cherubs  are  its  leaven, 

And  that  ocean  is  first  form. 

That  shall  Northern  Sculptor  warm. 

So  he  took  commission  soon 

For  a  palace  near  the  noon, 

Where  the  solar  majesty 

Doth  around  on  statues  lie : 

And  he  fired  the  eye  of  art 

With  the  spell  of  ocean  heart : 

And  his  Apostolic  hand 

Poured  live  stone  through  all  the  land. 


NEWNESS.  175 

'Tis  the  groundwork  of  his  art 
Here  he  wishes  to  impart : 
Let  the  sculptor  never  deem 
Sculpture  is  a  human  dream  : 
'Tis  immensity  in  man 
Is  the  sculptor's  only  plan : 
And  the  sun  and  moon  and  stars 
Are  the  sculptor's  winning-bars. 


llclBlWSS. 

WoRLDLiNESS  wrappcth  her  mantle  around, 

Catcheth  the  light  of  the  day, 
Liveth  in  church,  in  the  organ-bell's  sound, 

Prayeth,  but  never  doth  pray. 

Sombre  it  stealeth  as  night  cometh  on, 

Stumbleth  all  over  the  grave : 
Moonshine  is  saddening  and  weakening  and 
wan ; 

Worldliness  walketh  to  rave. 


176  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Witchlike  it  croucheth  mid  moon-covered 
graves, 
Counteth  its  fingers  of  sin  : 
And  as  it  recks  them,  the  shadow -bright 
waves 
Wash  it  more  thin  and  more  thin. 


Then  comes  a  change  o'er  the  bed  of  the 
moon ; 

Picking  the  bedclothes  of  earth 
Worldliness  mutters  with  dust  in  its  swoon  : 

Worldliness  mutters  of  birth. 


Morning  comes  fainter  than  thought's  dis- 
tant speer. 
Ere  it  is  thought  to  be  thought ; 
Hill  tops  the  highest  hear  first  the  faint 
cheer  ; 
Worldliness  counts  it  for  naught. 

Yet  it  is  leading  a  day  to  the  land ; 

Day  that  sets  never  again : 
Day  whose  young  face  by  that  morning  is 
fanned 

That  rises  on  heaven's  own  plain. 


NEWNESS.  177 

Sunders   the   darkness,   and  slumbers   the 
moon, 
And  the  stars  are  consumed  into  dawn. 
And  the  flute  of  the  sunrise  is  heard  as  a 
tune 
That  moves  o'er  the  beautiful  lawn. 

Where  is  worldliness  now  ?  lo  it  died  in  the 
night, 
And  the  angels  said  prayers  for  the  day: 
'Twas  the  star  that  had  forehead  for  upper- 
most sight, 
But  turned  its  round  planet  away. 

And  so  the  lamp  shattered  when  light  of 
the  Lord 
Came  hymning  through  deeps  of  the  soul : 
And  the  fragments  were  gathered,  and  made 
as  a  sword. 
And  brandished  from  pillar  to  pole. 

!  And  that  is  the  sword  that  now  cleaves 
I  down  the  land 

That  still  in  its  vision  distrest, 
Hath  welcome  and  work  and  good  property 
banned. 
To  those  whose  desert  is  the  best. 

N 


178  IMPROVISATIONS. 


Wistful  I  sat  at  table, 

And  eyed  the  various  dishes : 
There  was  bread  white  and  sable, 

And  beasts  and  birds  and  fishes  : 
There  was  fruit  heaped  in  measures, 

Red  cheeks  of  luscious  fruits  : 
And  there  were  all  earth's  pleasures ; 

And  all  earth's  bitter  roots. 


And  as  I  sat  and  wondered, 

To  see  such  goods  around. 
And  as  my  high  brow  pondered, 

And  my  eye  looked  profound, 
A  guest  on  neighboring  sitting, 

Accosted  me  with  glee, 
And  I  saw  madness  flitting 

Within  his  memory. 

He  said :  "  How  came  you  hither  ? 

You  have  no  title  here : 
My  little  eye  could  wither 

The  fruits  your  eyes  revere : 


EDGAR    ALLAN    POE.  179 

They  are  my  subject  creatures  : 

Created  by  my  rays  : 
They  ripen  through  my  features  ; 

And  my  smiles  are  their  days." 

Said  I :  ''  You're  very  mighty  : 

The  peaches  are  your  sons  : 
The  fishes  quick,  birds  flighty, 

And  every  beast  that  runs  : 
The  truffles  underground  too, 

Are  babies  of  your  brains  : 
The  grass  upon  the  mound  too 

Grows  up  from  your  eye-rains.'^ 

With  this  kind  recognition, 

My  mad  friend  was  appeased, 
And  in  his  brain's  perdition, 

He  coughed  and  hemmed  and  sneezed ; 
And  touched  with  royal  feeling, 

God-like  insane  he  sat. 
And  then  he  took  to  reeling. 

And  crouched  upon  the  mat. 

So  then  I  mesmerised  him, 

To  be  creator's  king. 
And  oh !  how  much  I  prized  him. 

When  fastened  in  mv  ring  : 

N  2 


180  IMPROVISATIONS. 

I  led  him  by  his  nose- sphere, 
And  ran  him  up  and  down, 

And  raising  then  his  toes^  sphere, 
I  made  his  foot  his  crown. 

And  then  his  feet  set  talking, 

Let  out  some  sense  at  last : 
His  head  was  fit  for  walking  ; 

His  nether  part  was  cast 
Into  a  mould  of  sayings 

The  opposite  of  those 
That  were  his  former  brayings : 

The  truth  ran  from  his  toes. 

In  life  all  topsy-turvy 

His  little  soul  had  been  ; 
And  he  had  lived  in  scurvy. 

With  not  a  thought  between : 
So  here  set  right-side  downwards, 

Sense  from  his  posture  grew. 
And  all  his  madness  crownwards. 

From  all  his  members  flew. 

Then  sitting  at  the  table, 
I  left  him  standing  there, 

And  dined  while  I  was  able. 
And  heard  him  pray  a  prayer  : 


EDGAR    ALLAN    POE.  181 

His  head  prayed  to  his  fetlocks, 
That  they  would  go  right  way : 

And  then  he  shook  his  wet-locks, 
And  cast  his  sweat  away. 

And  there  I  left  him  standing : 

And  what  was  very  funny, 
The  waiter  at  the  landing, 

Just  as  I  paid  my  money, 
Told  me  that  change  was  growing, 

Upon  my  patient's  stock : 
And  that  his  head  was  snowing 

Right  upward  ruddy  flock. 

And  that  his  feet  were  gaining 

Strange  features  from  below  ; 
And  that  his  toes  were  raining 

Toe-nails  upon  his  brow  : 
And  that  his  heart  and  liver 

AVere  shuf&ing  in  their  seats  : 
And  that  he  heard  them  quiver. 

And  saw  their  anxious  heats. 

In  short,  a  transmutation 

Was  quickly  going  on. 
Whereby  the  madman's  ration 

Was  turning  upside  down  : 


182  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  feet  so  low  and  humble, 

That  always  did  obey, 
And  never  ^^et  did  stumble. 

Became  the  head  of  clay. 

The  head  that  was  so  knowing, 

And  that  was  made  with  sin. 
Had  ankle- bones  a- growing. 

From  out  the  nose's  bin  ; 
And  he  now  knew  the  reason, 

Why  he  that  hath  much  given. 
Must  at  another  season 

Pay  all  his  bill  to  heaven. 

And  now  I  tell  you  fairly. 

Of  this  metamorphose  5 
It  changed  the  fellow  rarely, 

And  left  him  half  a  nose  : 
But  not  an  eye  was  blinking 

Upon  his  barren  face  : 
But  he  did  all  his  thinking 

Within  his  gullet's  space. 

For  look  you,  though  his  top-part 
Changed  places  with  his  feet. 

And  though  he  had  his  shop-part. 
With  spirit  to  compete. 


EDGAR    ALLAN    POE.  183 

Yet  life  of  toes  and  ankles 

Is  poor  to  people  brains  : 
And  such  like  poorness  rankles 

In  penalties  and  pains. 

And  every  time  I  dine  there, 

I  see  my  sad  inversion  : 
I  hear  him  pine  and  whine  there  : 

And  know  his  dire  coercion  : 
He  is  the  worldly  miser, 

That  thinks  he's  god  of  wealth. 
And  is  his  God's  despiser. 

And  lives  in  his  own  stealth. 

Now  mark  !  this  upside-downness, 

Is  no  uncommon  state : 
But  like  an  eating  brownness, 

It  scars  the  worldly  great : 
And  then  in  world  of  spirit, 

Where  very  truths  are  things, 
Each  catches  his  own  merit. 

And  soars  on  his  own  wings. 


184  IMPROVISATIONS. 


1857. 


Lord,  bless  the  home  in  Fifty- seven  : 
Be  greater  life  within  us  given  : 
More  love  of  thee,  our  Father  King  : 
And  more  of  free-will  offering. 

Let  self-denial  be  more  oft ; 
Let  heart  of  stone  be  rendered  soft : 
Let  life  be  guided  by  thy  Word, 
And  love- pools  be  by  angels  stirred. 

Let  spiritual  gifts  always 

Be  added  crown  to  useful  days  : 

And  light  be  valued  only  for 

The  increase  of  true  blessings  store. 

Let  vanity  be  banished  far, 
Nor  dim  our  hope's  perpetual  star  ; 
And  pride,  deep  serpent  of  the  breast, 
Yield  to  dove- peace  her  vacant  nest. 

Let  child-love  in  the  parents  glow, 
And  parent-love  in  children  blow  ; 
And  usefulness  with  strong  embrace 
Bind  all  in  one  our  little  race. 


EAST    WIND.  185 

So  Fifty- seven  shall  have  great  gift ; 
And  our  hearts'  Father's  mercy  lift 
The  veil  that  hides  the  world  of  love, 
And  let  our  feet  in  lovelight  move. 


Cast  Ulmh : 

A  LANDSCAPE  !  AFTER  SALVATOR  ROSA. 

The  pines  are  ill  at  ease  : 
The  little  woodbirds  teaze, 
And  whine  and  peck  and  grind : 
They  live  upon  the  wind  : 
And  like  the  wind  they  eat, 
They  feel  the  chilly  heat. 

The  husbandman  is  sad, 
His  housewife  partly  mad  ; 
She  looketh  to  the  sky. 
And  the  moon  shakes  her  eye  : 
The  bright  chill  cruel  moon  : — 
She  calls  her  man  a  loon. 

The  cattle  out  of  temper, 

And  the  soft  lambkins  whimper  : 


186  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  gi'ass  feels  very  sore 
That  it  must  grow  the  more, 
Because  it  is  so  cold, 
That  growth  is  growing  old. 

The  finger-tips  of  skill 
Are  bluey  with  no  will : 
And  the  cheek  dusty  dry 
Seams  to  the  cracky  eye. 
And  the  fair  appetite 
Feeleth  the  eastern  spite. 

Because  the  East  Wind's  power 
Cometh  from  Fancy's  bower, 
Where  all  the  poison  twigs 
Shake  their  electric  legs. 
And  the  red  sunset- glow 
Bloodies  them  through  and  through. 

And  yet  the  East  Wind  kind 
Hath  thought  within  his  wind ; 
He  is  the  winding-sheet 
Of  the  Old  Year's  dead  heat  ; 
But  he's  the  earliest  dress 
Of  New  Year's  nakedness. 


DAILY    BREAD.  187 

And  time  shall  come  when  he 
Shall  lead  the  feast  of  glee  : 
When  babes  are  better  cared  for ; 
And  poor  men  are  prepared  for ; 
Then  shall  the  East  Wind  bind 
Soft  swathings  round  man's  kind. 


iailg  imir. 


Lord,  is  there  any  spirit-theme  to-day 
That  may  around  my  willing  footsteps  play  ? 

The  morning's  theme 
Of  spirit-stream, 
Is  improvising  s  power, 
And  spirit-healing's  dower. 

Wake,  oh !  waken,  waken  once  again : 
Quit  the  bed  of  drowsing,  spirit-pain, 
liamble  o'er  the  country-sides,  and  see 
How  the  men  and  maidens  wait  for  thee. 

Rush  down  to  the  rivers  :  see  their  fish  : 
How  they  glance  and  dart  like  lover's  wish : 
See  the  birds,  they  wheel  like  music- notes, 
And  around  each  one  its  own  heaven  floats. 


188  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Rise  unto  the  hills  :  the  lowing  cows, 

And  bright  sheep- spots  wander  on  and 
browse : 

They  draw  the  patterns  of  their  thought- 
ness  loves 

O'er  all  the  ground  where  heavenly  foot- 
step moves. 

Eow  upon  the  lake  of  evening's  sky  : 
Fancy's  gold,  and  image-loving  eye 
AYander  there  in  bright  confusion's  isles, 
Where  still   order   in   blest   back   ground 
smiles. 

All  is  free,  all  fearless,  all  gone  forth 
From  the  honest  palm  of  this  hour's  worth : 
Thought  hath  not  a   part  in  this    bright 

range, 
But  the  world  above  is  living  strange. 

So  it  is  with  thee  :  so  it  shall  seem : 
Life  shall  come  from  out  life's  deeper  dream : 
And  upon  the  surface  of  the  sun 
Men  shall  see  what  was  within  begun. 

Most  shall  Christ  then  come  in  words  of  life, 
And  the  new  live  church  shall  be  his  wife ; 


DAILY    BREAD.  189 

And  each  morn  the  priesthood  new  created, 
k^hall  each  noon  with  Christ  be  newly  mated. 

And  old  death  those  days  shall  die  so  fast, 
'  That  of  death  no  count  shall  be  at  last. 
But  he  shall  be  called  the  nick  of  time, 
And  his  voice  shall  be  the  joint  of  rhyme. 

And  his  function  then  shall  be  to  take 
Worn  out  seeds  into  his  fruitful  lake. 
And  to  dip  them  there  till  season  pass, 
Then  to  plant  them  out  for  newer  grass. 

Song    shall  float   for  the   first  time   from 

heaven 
When  men  know  whence  song  hath  music 

given. 
For  'tis  heaven's  fat  clouds  of  incense  red, 
That  in  dews  of  poesy  are  shed. 

Kings  shall  govern  first  when  kings  are 

made 
Out  of  Him  that  first  the  rule  essayed  : 
They  shall  find  their  crowns  when  sleep  is 

done, 
And  shall  give  them  back  at  set  of  sun. 


190  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  next  day  another  set  of  kings 

Shall  grow  forth  and  bloom  with  empire's 

wings, 
And  the  priests  and  kings  shall  then  be 

wed 
In  "  Lord,  give  us  to-day  om-  daily  bread." 


imixxhm. 

Hush  !  do  not  say  a  word  : 
The  truth  is  perilous  : 

The  great  pool  will  be  stirred  : 
And  this  were  wrong  for  us. 

We  live  in  sweet  suppression, 
The  violets  of  dark  groves  : 

And  through  our  intercession, 
The  fashion- chariot  moves. 

We  love  the  truth  in  season, 
When  no  one  else  is  near  : 

But  then  it  stands  to  reason, 
That  there  is  much  to  fear. 


ROME:    POPE.  191 

The  world  is  trammelled  up  : 

Our  state  is  with  it  wove : 
Vie  drink  of  fortune's  cup, 

And  of  wealth's  modest  love. 


Don't  carry  things  too  far, 
Martyrdom  is  not  good  : 

And  crucifixion's  star 

Shines  o'er  a  distant  flood. 

Don't  mention  spiritualism 
Except  when  we're  alone  : 

Our's  is  the  parson's  chrism  : 
We  stand  upon  his  stone. 


I  AM  shewn  a  mouth, 
Square  as  hole  of  pit, 

And  it  opes  to  south, 
And  hath  hell  in  it. 


192  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  its  teeth  are  broke, 
On  its  jagged  sides  : 

And  it  hath  a  yoke 
O'er  its  ears  that  rides. 


And  a  bit  of  iron 

In  its  teeth  is  clamped, 
And  it  doth  environ 

All  its  neck  that  ramped* 

I  am  shewn  a  woman, 

In  a  scarlet  robe, 
Not  a  hearty  yeoman 

Lives  on  all  her  globe. 


Not  a  manly  simple 

Wheresoe'er  she  treads. 

And  o'er  every  temple 
Dung  of  owls  she  spreads. 


But  a  lightning  pillar, 

Stauncher  than  the  clouds, 

Cometh  down,  to  fill  her 
With  the  shame  of  crowds. 


NAPOLEON  TO  NAPOLEON.      193 

Tis  the  spirit  glory, 

Manly  as  the  heaven, 
Kends  her  breastwork  gory, 

And  her  reign  is  riven. 


Weird  sisters  set  thee  where  thou  art : 

Thou  shalt  not  stand  : 
Thou  seest  already  the  fell  dart — 

Thou  seest  the  hand. 

The  hand  is  freedom's  in  a  glove  of  sin, 

Peace  tipped  with  steel : 
Thou  feelst  its  point  moving  within. 

Thy  strength  doth  reel. 

Thou  art  a  gamester  where  thou  sittest ; 

Thy  dice,  men's  bones  : 
Thou  candleman ;  ne'er  yet  thou  littest 

The  lisrht  of  thrones ! 


194  IMPROVISATIONS. 

I  see  thy  funeral  procession  all, 

White  chanting  priests  ; 
Thou  art  an  ox  within  the  priestly  stall, — 

No  king  of  beasts. 

Destruction  fattens  thee  for  morrow^  s  dinner, 

Bastes  thee  with  money  : 
The  meat  upon  thy  bones  to  many  a  sinner 

Shall  yet  be  honey. 

Great  arbiter  of  elegancies  fine. 

Lord  of  the  fashion. 
Within  thy  veins  runneth  no  better  wine 

Than  Ego^s  passion. 

France,  when  full  drest  for  her  next  party. 
Shall  brush  her  boots  of  thee  : 

And  have  a  ruler  fatter  and  more  hearty, 
And  with  some  human  glee. 


NAPOLEON    1.  195 


con  I. ;  toliat  of  Mm  ? 


What  of  him  ?  what  a  question ! 

Ripe  for  a  bad  digestion : 

He  cometh  in  a  cloud, 

Red  coated,  thunder- browed. 

Upon  his  head  a  helm 
Doth  his  eyes  overwhelm. 
And  through  it  runs  a  dart 
Skewered  to  his  brainy  part. 

And  then  his  shoulder  mnces, 
As  that  fell  dart  convinces. 
For  ^tis  war's  reason  sharp 
That  in  his  brains  doth  carp. 

He  is  forced  now  to  war, 
A  very  Swiss  de  guerre. 
And  his  right  hand  hath  sword 
By  his  right  hand  abhorred. 

For  like  the  itch  within, 
And  that  upon  the  skin. 
Brain- dagger  ceaseth  then. 
When  sword's  in  hand  again. 
o2 


196  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Oh  I  horrible,  his  brain 

Is  sheath  of  his  sword's  pain, 

And  his  brains  one  release 

Is  sword  stuck  in  lamb's  fleece". 

What  is  his  sword  ?  It  is 
A  lump  of  verdigris, 
That  grew  upon  a  coin 
Long  chinking  at  his  loin. 

It  rankled,  festered  there, 
Into  a  wizard  prayer, 
And  by  black  art  it  grew. 
And  fastened  to  his  thew. 

It  is  finance  that  drove 
Ambition  through  its  love  : 
And  now  his  emperor  sword, 
Rests  on  a  merchant's  word. 

The  eye  that  in  him  lies, 
Is  that  great  merchant's  piize  : 
Pawned  for  a  million  franks. 
In  cellar  of  the  bank's. 

He  lies  at  night  on  bones, 
Softened  by  feathery  stones  ; 


CORPSE    CANDLES.  197 

These  are  the  down  of  war, 
And  blunt  the  scimitar. 

And  now  then,  shoulder  arms ! 
And  now  set  on  and  slay ! 
The  weird  ones  have  their  charms, 
And  to  those  charms  we  pray. 


tope  tettMcs. 

If  we  were  wise, 

Our  little  eyes 
Would  see  a  many  things 

That  now  outlie 

The  little  spy 
Of  our  imaginings. 

Among  the  rest, 
If  we  were  blest. 

Voices  of  warning  love 
Would  tell  the  house 
When  either  spouse, 

Or  kin,  were  called  above. 


198  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  even  now 

In  simple  trow, 
The  light  of  future  death 

Troops  from  the  hearth 

To  spot  of  earth 
In  melancholy  wraith. 

Corpse  candles  gleam, 
A  flickering  stream, 

Down  road,  o'er  bridge,  and  lane, 
And  one  by  one 
Glide  flickering  on. 

And  then  successive  wane. 

High  use  methinks 

The  spirit  drinks. 
Of  coming  time  for  man. 

From  village  seers, 

When  spirit  years 
Unroll  new  social  plan. 

These  ghostly  lights 

Prepare  for  flights 
Of  souls  new  called  to  life  : 

And  dignity 

For  all  who  die 
Lives  in  their  precincts  rife. 


I 


CORPSE    CANDLES.  199 

For  so  ^tis  clear 

That  each  man^s  bier 
Is  kno^Tn  in  Nature^  s  heart  ; 

And  the  old  dame 

Prepares  her  flame 
To  do  a  natural  part. 

Her  phosphorus 

Serves  spirit  thus, 
And  solemnizes  earth  ; 

And  glows  for  death ; 

Illmnineth 
Fresh  seeds  of  matter's  birth. 

She  maketh  ghosts 

Throughout  her  hosts  ; 
Impregnates  wdnds  with  man  : 

And  teacheth  ground, 

And  matter's  s wound, 
How  human  is  her  plan. 

And  had  we  heed, 

Past  narrow  creed, 
'Twere  well  that  we  should  know. 

That  such  a  time 

The  church-bell  chime 
Should  for  our  heavening  go. 


200  IMPROVISATIONS. 

We'd  make  our  wills, 

Put  off  our  ills  ; 
And  preparation's  garb 

Fit  deftly  on ; 

Caparison 
That  blunt eth  all  death's  barb. 

So  social  use 
Would  yield  its  juice 

From  these  unlucky  gleams  ; 
And  death's  faint  lights 
Were  welcome  heights  ; 

For  death  but  only  seems. 

Corpse  candles  then 

Were  symptoms  plain  ; 
Like  other  symptoms  read  ; 

And  men  would  call 

Their  kindred  all 
Around  the  welcome  bed. 

And  science  sweet 
Of  heavenly  heat, 

Built  strong  from  dismal  signs. 
Would  teach  our  race 
That  e'en  death's  face 

With  stern-sweet  order  shines. 


THE    FAY-SOUL.  201 


Soul 


Within,  all  things 

Are  filled  with  wings  : 
Lesser  and  lesser  winglets  : 

Time's  breezes  blow 

On  Nature's  brow, 
And  wanton  with  her  ringlets. 

And  all  things  wise 

Are  filled  with  eyes, 
And  seeing  keepeth  seeing  : 

And  hearts  have  hearts 

Within  their  parts, 
And  being  clusters  being. 

'Tis  a  great  hive 

Of  things  that  wive 
AVith  things  that  mate  them  nicely : 

The  bees  of  soul 

Eoll,  roll,  and  roll 
In  Order's  ring  precisely. 

The  soul  itself 
On  curious  shelf, 


202  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Put  by  far  past  its  kenning, 

Hath  other  soul 

Of  deeper  goal 
Cabined  within  its  penning. 

The  reason  is, 

That  God,  I  wis, 
In  making  angel  creatures. 

Hath  ends  unknown, 

Eterne,  alone, 
Above  apparent  features. 

From  salient  point. 

Creation^  s  joint, 
The  Limner  draws  his  linings. 

And  weaves  the  woof 

Of  spirit  roof 
From  heaven's  own  first  refinings. 

But  after  all. 

The  woven  ball 
Is  coarse  to  his  intention. 

And  over  it 

Doth  ever  flit 
The  light  of  its  prevention. 


THE    FAY-SOUL.  203 

That  light  is  soul 

Within  the  whole, 
And  ne'er  can  be  created  : 

'Tis  his  fay-light, 

And  is  too  bright 
With  reals  to  be  mated. 

So  uncreate 

It  keeps  its  state 
Above  the  tissued  spirit : 

And  thro'  the  soul 

Its  thunders  roll, 
And  yet  no  soul  can  hear  it. 

'Tis  as  with  seed : 

The  yearly  need 
Gives  plants  but  few  to  stature, 

For  few  there  are 

That  gain  their  star, 
Or  plant  their  foot  in  nature. 

The  seed's  a  fay 

That  lives  away 
In  ample  folds  of  beauty, 

And  in  the  arms 

Of  God's  first  forms 
Does  God's  own  germs  of  duty. 


204  IMPROVISATIONS. 

These  germs  supreme 

Are  morning's  beam 
Through  which  creation  issues  : 

They  stand  around. 

While  through  the  ground 
Earth  draws  her  wondrous  tissues. 

And  so  all  things 

Have  fairy  rings 
Behind  their  real  shadows, 

And  souls  of  souls 

And  poles  of  poles 
Make  deep  the  God-light's  meadows. 

Love  hath  them  most, 

For  on  Love's  coast, 
More's  meant  than  meaning  covers  : 

And  seen  profound. 

There  is  no  ground 
In  heaven,  but  love  and  lovers. 

God  means  to  make 

An  angel- lake 
More  vast  than  can  be  made  ; 

And  his  gi'eat  thought, 

Though  never  wrought, 
Can  never  be  betrayed. 


EDWARD   FRANCIS    FINDEN.  205 

It  stops  in  fays, 

Eternal  plays, 
( )f  infinite  delight : 

So  each  man's  meant, 

Before  he's  sent. 
To  be  quite  infinite. 

And  this  it  is. 

Again  I  wis, 
That  gives  fay- soul  to  man  : 

'Tis  not  himself. 

Nor  yet  his  elf. 
But  'tis  his  Godlike  Plan. 


Cbtoaxir  Iranns  itnlm. 

Engraving  ;  that's  my  mission  : 

When  I  got  up  from  bed. 
And  saw  my  new  position. 

And  looked  up  overhead, 
I  found  out  all  my  error. 

My  brethren's  error  too, 
And  felt  a  gentle  terror. 

And  then  a  gentle  rue. 


206  IMPROVISATIONS. 

To  see  ray  brother  gravers 

All  copying  short- sighted, 
And  working  on  as  slavers 

To  painters,  to  be  slighted : 
For  so  their  very  souls 

Become  all  second-hand : 
And  poverties  in  shoals 

Are  printed  through  the  land. 

Turner  despised  engravers, 

Even  if  he  never  said  it ; 
He  said  they  were  poor  shavers. 

In  his  ripe  eye  I  read  it : 
Because  like  lawyers'  clerks. 

They  were  all  stationary, 
And  made  up  lights  and  darks 

For  other  folks  more  chary. 

Now  since  I  came  up  here  : 

Thank  Christ,  my  pilot  Lord : 
And  have  begun  to  rear 

My  shoulders  to  my  board, 
And  to  breathe  life  again. 

After  long  sickness  past. 
My  Graver  comes  amain. 

And  cleaveth  to  my  taste. 


EDWARD    FRANCIS    FINDEN,  207 

But  then  my  Graver  saith  : 

I'm  spiritual  now, 
And  I  am  tool  of  faith, 

And  life  directs  my  prow, 
And  I  won't  sail  in  ditch 

Of  any  mortal's  lines  : 
Painters  must  not  bewitch 

The  light  that  o'er  me  shines. 

I  will  kiss  steel  first-hand  : 

Steel  is  my  bonny  bride : 
Conception,  life,  love's  band, 

May  o'er  my  fortunes  ride : 
But  copying  of  paint 

Will  serve  my  turn  no  more : 
The  thought  would  make  me  faint 

Upon  the  spirit- shore. 

Yes,  I  must  improvise, 

Or  taste  steel  not  at  all ; 
The  rocks  have  human  eyes 

At  the  good  sculptor's  call : 
And  so  the  hardest  steel 

Shall  bear  my  impress  grand, 
Whene'er  the  soul  can  feel 

Guidance  of  spirit-hand. 


208  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  Finden  now  would  fain  : 

Edward  would  fain  tell  all : — 
Were  Murray  here  again, 

E'en  Murray  should  sing  small : 
He  hath  the  mission  now, 

On  the  more  living  coast, 
To  raise  the  engraver's  brow, 

Toward  the  heavenly  host. 

Then  steel  shall  soften  well. 

And  a  new  art  be  bom  : 
And  from  a  plenteous  shell 

The  river  of  the  morn 
Shall  come  in  spirit-rays 

Where  slavery  once  was  seen : 
And  the  steel's  second  days 

Shall  bloom  in  valleys  green. 

For  Spirit  copies  not : 

It  cannot  copy  man  : 
Each  spirit  is  a  plot 

With  its  own  fiery  span  : 
And  so  the  day  shall  come, 

When  each  himself  shall  live  : 
Each  Art  have  its  own  dome 

Within  God's  general  hive. 


BERZELIUS.  209 


itr^cliiis :  Ijis  f aboratarij. 

Anon  the  vision  spreads  : 

Sweden  is  mine  no  more  : 
The  heart  enfranchised  weds 

Life  on  another  shore : 
But  crucible  and  pot 

Are  still  eternal  gear  : 
And  I  have  gained  a  lot 

Where  chemic  wonders  rear. 


The  spiral  of  my  life 

Leads  round  and  round  its  slopes, 
And  in  atomic  strife 

I  see  creation's  hopes  : 
The  Lord  of  life  and  death, 

And  composition's  King, 
In  chemic  wedding  wreath 

His  blessed  flowers  doth  ring. 

My  laboratory  stands 

Upon  a  mountain  side. 
And  is  not  built  with  hands. 

But  out  of  lightning's  tide, 


210  IMPROVISATIONS. 

It  is  attracted  forth, 
Deposited  each  day ; 

And  its  most  primal  worth 
Is  heaven's  one  chemic  ray. 

It  decomposes  oft, 

And  changes  with  its  hill, 
And  all  its  walls  are  soft. 

And  ether's  heart  doth  spill 
Essential  salts  around, 

And  alkaloids  of  soul. 
That  build  the  chemic  ground 

Into  one  moving  whole. 

The  walls  are  diamond  light, 

Of  silken  truth  they  are. 
And  their  plain  blaze  bedight 

With  penetration's  star : 
Analysis  that  cuts 

With  knife  of  knife  of  knife. 
And  sunders  essence-ruts. 

And  separateth  strife. 

And  lo !  within  the  walls 
Peculiar  lustre  shines. 

And  wheresoe'er  it  falls, 
Its  diving  light  divines 


BERZELIUS,  211 

The  secret  rays  of  things, 
Locked  in  each  other's  arms, 

And  letteth  out  their  wings, 
And  painteth  chemic  charms. 

The  assistants  of  my  board 

Are  not  of  human  kind, 
But  yet  obey  my  word, 

More  rapid  than  the  wind  : 
Tall  statues  stand  erect 

Within  my  corners  four. 
And  ever  circumspect 

They  gaze  upon  my  door. 

They  are  Attraction  first, 

A  state  with  begging  hands  : 
And  in  his  eye  is  nursed 

A  power  that  weaveth  bands 
Around  all  creatures^  brows. 

And  draweth  forth  all  hearts. 
And  teacheth  spouse  and  spouse 

To  spirit  nature's  parts. 

And  Magnetism  second, 

That  doth  reck  more  of  man  ; 

And  his  long  arms  have  beckoned 
The  gist  of  starry  plan  : 

p2 


212  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  he  cements  all  beings 
Attracted  to  their  bed ; 

And  hath  within  his  seeings 
The  deep  ground  overhead. 

Electric  statue  third 

Stands  in  my  southern  zone  : 
With  eye-glance  like  a  bird, 

And  heart  of  living  stone  : 
Quivering  in  raying  flights, 

Ramping  in  fine  ecstdse  ; 
Woof  of  all  days  and  nights  ; 

The  sunbeam's  glory- vase. 

The  statue  fourth  I  have, 

Is  white  and  hot  and  hard  : 
He  stands  on  matters  grave. 

And  is  creation's  pard. 
Spotted  with  life  eterne. 

Fire  is  his  name  on  earth. 
But  thy  world  hath  no  urn 

To  hold  his  chemic  worth. 

My  little  maids  also 

Stand  near  my  table  rim : 

Light  is  my  Maiden  Glow, 
And  Colour  is  her  hymn  : 


BERZELIUS.  213 

And  Life  the  second  maid 

That  at  my  table  serves, 
And  wheresoeVr  she  played, 

She  leaveth  chemic  curves. 

My  table  is  of  crystal, 

A  crystal  flower  it  grows  ; 
And  mortar  too  and  pestle 

Are  but  the  living  rose 
That  doth  work  round  for  me, 

My  will  transmuting  there, 
For  I  live  in  its  tree. 

Its  chemic  soul  to  share. 

And  I  have  beasts  of  fire 

That  are  all  chemic  flood. 
And  ripe  with  my  desire. 

They  change  their  atom  blood. 
And  shew  me  all  their  loom, 

And  all  its  fabrics  grand  : 
And  then  their  secrets  bloom, 

Published  from  chemic  hand. 

And  angels  visit  here, 

Though  I  not  angel  yet : 
But  still  they  bring  a  tear. 

And  still  my  couch  is  wet : 


214  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  in  my  chemic  thought, 
That  tear  comes  forth  to  me  : 

And  then  its  frame  is  wrought, 
For  chemic  mystery. 

For  lo !  'tis  water  mere  : 

And  lo !  'tis  gas  next  time  : 
But  overmore  the  tear 

Wins  back  its  former  clime : 
And  I  can't  analyze, 

But  drop  upon  my  knees ; 
The  baby  in  me  cries  ; 

My  tears  are  angel- trees. 

The  laboratory  gone  : 

Berzelius  stands  in  awe  : 
Based  on  a  newer  stone. 

He  knows  not  chemic  law  : 
The  change  his  heart  desires 

Is  not  of  atoms,  Lord  ! 
Melt  him  with  holier  fires  : 

Absorb  him  in  thy  Word* 


THE    LAWYERS.  215 


®k  fatoprs :  toljat  of  t|cm? 

Kanged  on  stools,  there  they  sit, 
Bench  of  fools,  full  of  wit : 
Bench  of  zanies  keen  as  knives, 
Free  of  tongue,  on  all  archives. 

There  they  sit,  from  age  to  age : 
Leathern  socs  of  the  world's  stage  : 
And  for  every  hour  they  sit, 
They  do  spoil  the  nation^ s  wit. 

And  on  all  sides  lo !  they  look, 
With  a  vision  like  a  cook. 
When  she  bastes  a  venison  haunch, 
Fatly  for  a  monarch's  paunch. 

And  the  beauty  of  their  dream, 
As  upon  their  bench  they  seem, 
Is  old  justice,  fat  and  flavoured, 
Carved  for  them,  and  by  them  savoured. 

Lo !  the  logic  skeletons 

Serve  them  for  their  meat  with  stones, 

And  for  reasonings  they  try 

How  the  logic- stones  will  fry. 


216  IMPROVISATIONS. 

They  have  ghosts  of  actors  poor 
For  their  guardian  angels  sure, 
And  their  brains  like  dresses  worn, 
Are  sieves  held  for  public  corn. 

Lord,  how  long  shall  these  offend  ? 
And  what  is  their  latter  end  ? — 
They  shall  live  on  bench  of  glee, 
Long  as  human  cruelty. 

They  shall  date  with  quarrel,  years  ; 
Time,  with  hypocritic  tears  : 
Long  as  luxury  hath  tether. 
They  shall  warm  their  arid  leather. 

And  as  long  as  grasping  man 
Tears  down  others'  walls  that  ban 
Passage  to  another's  goods. 
Lawyers  shall  dwell  in  their  woods. 

Blame  them  not,  but  blame  thyself: 
They  are  but  thy  dolls  of  pelf: 
Thou  didst  put  on  their  fine  wigs : 
Thou  dost  feed  all  thine  own  pigs. 


THE    FAIRY    VEILS.  217 


There  are  three  veils  in  fairy  land  : 
Three  veils,  saith  Little  Love : 

And  they  are  made  with  fairy  hand, 

And  chemistry  of  fairy  wand. 
Veiled  uses  to  approve. 

The  veils  are  made  of  fairy  air ; 

For  fairy  land  has  all : 
They  take  some  atoms  out,  and  rare 
And  strong  the  veil  beyond  compare 

That  doth  around  us  fall. 

For  chemistry  is  native  clime 

To  skill  of  fairy  souls. 
Atoms  of  nature  most  sublime, 
Fitting  each  other  in  deep  rhyme, 

Kissing  each  other's  poles. 

Are  traversed  like  rich  stepping  stones, 

Mosaic  of  God's  floor. 
By  fairy  sciences,  whose  tones 
Touch  squares,  and  cubes,  and  rounds, 
and  cones. 

And  con  them  o'er  and  o'er. 


218  IMPROVISATIONS. 

They  can  make  all  things  so 

From  atom -bricks  of  form, 

And  weave  the  woof,  to  glow 

Radiant  as  morning's  snow, 

In  skyland  after  storm. 

And  the  first  veil  from  air, 
Is  that  which  hides  the  fays, 

And  filmeth  mortal  stare, 

And  hinders  man  to  bear 
The  spirt  of  spirit  rays. 

It  drops  on  land  and  sea. 
And  drops  on  fairy  temple. 

And  landscapes  great  and  free, 

By  its  diaphany, 

Look  poor  and  brown  and  simple. 

The  doubleness  of  things, 

The  life  within  the  scape. 
Take  to  themselves  quick  wings, 
And  wondrous  blossomings 
Hide  behind  matter's  cape. 

The  second  veil  is  deeper, 
And  hideth  more : 


THE    FAIRY    VEILS.  219 

Witliin  it  man  is  sleeper, 
And  dreamer  oft,  and  creeper 
Round  narrow  shore. 

It  shuts  from  unborn  life. 

From  fays  unfleshed. 
From  spirit  islands  rife 
With  unconceptions :  strife 

Hath  no  such  fays  inmeshed. 

And  it  shuts  deep  from  deep, 

Grand  Order's  bound : 
Footfall  more  soft  than  sleep  : 
Than  the  soul  more  profound : 

Holier  than  hallowed  ground. 

The  third  of  veils  again, — 

So  telleth  Little  Love, — 
Is  private  in  its  skein. 
For  her  exactest  fane, 

And  for  her  special  dove. 

Her  husband  found  it  out ; 

Chemic  invention  : 
His  feetlets  roamed  about 
Through  many  a  honeyed  rout, 

With  still  intention. 


220  IMPROVISATIONS. 

'Tis  made  of  wax  of  bees, 

Of  fairy  wax,  fay  bees, 
And  in  its  charmful  frieze, 
Letteth  no  public  breeze 

Canvass  the  wifelet's  glees. 

Whatever  she  would  hide. 

By  this  most  modest  veil 
Steps  to  retirement's  side, 
In  her  sweet  cave  doth  bide, 

Nor  flappeth  idle  sail. 

Thinner  than  bloom  of  plum. 

Yet  thick  as  castle  wall. 
The  waxen  veil  doth  come 
Convenient  to  her  call. 

And  maketh  private  room. 

So  Order  hath  fay  veils 

In  every  fairy  world : 
And  modesty  ne'er  quails. 
Because  her  light  is  curled 

Through  shells  with  coyness  pearled. 

And  God  be  praised  for  veils, 
And  nuns  of  sweetness  : 


HAREBELLS.  221 

The  rising  sun  oft  pales 
His  glory  in  cloud-sails, 
And  robes  completeness. 

And  we  shall  see,  when  seeing 

Will  do  us  good  to  have : 
For  then  uplifted  being, 
With  our  own  hearts  agreeing. 

Shall  gleam  beyond  the  grave. 


Wills  that  lie  in  coverts  dim, 
Shaking  from  their  bells  a  hymn 

That  is  meant  for  ears  of  wind  alone : 
For  the  belfry  of  the  spirit- world, 
Is  most  chiefly  in  the  flowerets  curled, 

And  in  heavenly  stillness  lies  its  tone. 

A.nd  the  fairies  only  dream  they  hear. 
Voices  those,  with  winds  most  thinnest  ear, 


222 


IMPROVISATIONS. 


Which   they   put   on   for   that   express 
desire. 
But  'tis  only  in  heavens  very  high 
That  the  sounds  of  flowers  and  the  dews 
sigh, 
Are  heard  in  waking  certainty  of  fire. 


©to  Wixm  Ux  €. 

Late  in  the  evening,  gold  diffused 

To  all  the  sky  is  given : 
East,  West,  North,  South,  none  is  refused 

The  last  good  gold  of  heaven. 


And  so  when  death  gives  gold  of  good, 

From  his  dear  bed  away. 
More  hearts  than  those  around  that  stood, 

Feel  light  from  death's  new  day. 


TEGNER.  223 


SJegitcr. 


Wills  o'the  wisp  are  round : 

They  gleam  with  phosphorescence  : 
Like  thin  dead  bodies  wound 

Within  the  shroud's  death-essence  : 
I  cannot  see  beyond, 

Though  eyes  would  fain  look  forth  : 
But  then  a  murky  pond 

Ariseth  from  the  North. 


It  is  the  fog  of  song  : 

The  lust  of  singing  always  : 
As  though  worlds  did  belong 

Unto  the  poet's  small  ways  : 
I  was  a  bard  on  earth, 

Much  deemed  of  here  and  there, 
But  poesy  hath  worth 

Different  on  other  stair. 


And  where  I'm  writing  now, 

No  laurel- leaf  or  crown 
Decketh  a  single  brow, 

From  thy  world's  poor  renown  : 


224  IMPROVISATIONS. 

It  is  the  spirit- source 

That  is  the  honor-plant, 
And  all  the  poet's  force 

Springeth  from  spirit-want. 

I  never  prayed  on  earth, 

Episcop  though  I  was, 
That  song  might  draw  its  birth 

Out  of  Religion's  laws  : 
I  poured  bowls  to  the  muses, 

And  drank  their  sacrifice  ; 
As  one  who  ne'er  refuses 

Religion  that  is  nice. 

But  now  another  story- 
Hath  glimmered  on  mine  ears  : 

And  from  the  promontory 
Of  quite  new  hopes  and  fears, 

I  see  another  bardland, 
With  other  harp  for  king  : 

That  other  is  the  wardland 

Of  sweet  truth's  humblest  string. 

The  olden  time  had  caught  me, 
With  robber-lore  it  came  ; 

And  Free-Thief's  Saga  wrought  me 
Into  strength's  natural  flame  : 


TEGNER.  225 


My  coffin  was  no  other 
When  first  I  came  to  life, 

Than  Frithiof,  and  his  pother 
Of  dirt  and  dust  and  strife. 

The  angels  took  me  from  it, 

With  tender  separation  : 
The  demons  made  me  vomit 

For  loss  of  reputation  : 
'Twas  struggle  long,  and  battle 

Twixt  lowliness  and  pride  : 
I  gave  up  your  world's  rattle, 

And  then  my  sadness  died. 

And  now  my  message  gloweth 

With  love  to  all  my  kin  : 
Because  my  mission  sheweth 

Fire  ruddy- good  within  ; 
I  would  unself  my  poet. 

And  break  his  cords  of  mles  ; 
And  let  him  reck  and  know  it,- 

Pride  leases  and  defiles. 

You  ask  to  know  my  status. 
And  it  shall  now  be  given  : 

I  have  no  new  afflatus 

Of  song  from  bardic  heaven. 


226  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  brought  to  feet  of  Christ, 

My  office  is  exchanged, 
And  works  on  earth  small- priced, 

Are  now  as  blessings  ranged. 

I  take  fresh  souls  by  hand, 

And  as  they  enter  in, 
I  reckon  well  their  band. 

And  count  their  several  kin  : 
And  register  their  minds, 

According  to  delights  ; 
And  in  this  my  muse  finds 

Much  work  on  starry  nights. 

'Tis  all  a  music-marching  : 

Song  is  all-presence  here : 
And  most  when  souls  are  parching, 

And  come  to  water  clear  : 
Then,  as  they  lift  the  beaker. 

The  bardic  fire  leaps  out. 
And  song,  now  loud,  now  weaker. 

Roams  joyfully  about. 

So  here  the  poet's  function 

Is  not  confined  to  few, 
But  all  have  music-unction  : 

All  Kings  of  Good  and  True : 


TEGNER.  227 

All  Priests  of  holy  places  : 
For  heaven  is  church  all  wise  ; 

And  yet  on  all  heaven's  faces, 
Cant's  slimeway  never  lies. 

So  this  is  mine  appointment, 

To  welcome  new  come  notes, 
And  touch  with  music-ointment, 

Till  round  their  lip  it  floats  : 
And  when  new  choirs  are  settled. 

And  unison  is  gained, 
Then  my  own  horse  is  mettled. 

And  my  own  soul  unstained. 

For  I  have  much  to  parry. 

Much  worldly  mould  to  rub : 
And  robber- Sagas  harry. 

And  many  a  rabble  mob 
Of  sad  Berserkir  creatures 

Rush  throttling  at  my  heart, 
And  writhe  in  at  my  features. 

And  tear  my  heavenly  part. 

But  still  the  realm  of  state  work 

Leads  on  majestic  walk  : 
And  angels  in  their  great  work 

Increasing  round  me  talk ; 

q2 


228  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  when  in  deepest  slumbers, 
I've  seen  a  cottage  small, 

And  round  it  float  fine  numbers, 
Love's  numbers  musical. 

And  near  it  dreams,  a  spring, 

I  saw  my  face  therein  : 
Methought  it  had  a  ring 

Of  light-love  pale  and  thin. 
That  grew  from  pale  to  red. 

And  grew  from  moon  to  sun  : 
And  as  it  grew,  it  shed 

Around  a  holier  zone. 

And  when  that  temple  formed. 

All  light  and  love  and  eye. 
My  soul  within  me  warmed  : 

I  saw  a  Woman  nigh : 
And  nigher  still  I  saw, 

And  both  within  Him  seemed, 
Christ's  glory,  light  and  law, 

Nor  knew  I  that  I  dreamed. 


THE    DIAMOND.  229 

pTAR  of  the  flowers,  and  flower  of  the  stars, 
!   And  earth  of  the  earth  art  thou, 
ind  darkness  hath  battles,  and  light  hath 
wars 
That  pass  in  thy  beautiful  brow. 

^'hou  wert  born  on  a  day  when  the  sun  was 
at  rest. 
And  peace  in  his  heart  was  profound : 
^he  sigh  of  contentment  went  wafting  his 
breast. 
And  thou  wert  its  silence  of  sound. 

t  went  through   the  world,   like  all  the 

sun's  thoughts, 
(   And  soothed  through  the  earth  to  its  core, 
^nd  lo !  in  a  spot  where  the  sun-rays  were 
j       naughts, 
It  woke  up  a  vision  of  yore. 

Carth  felt  second  sight  of  her  origin  grand, 
Far  down  in  the  deeps  of  her  mines : 

ontent  became  vision  ;  and  peace  was  the 

band 
That  the  home  of  creation  divines. 


230  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  eye  of  the  ground  thus  was  planted  by 
heaven,  , 

And  the  dust  was  new  wed  to  the  sun :   1 
And  the  monarch  went  forth :  and  the  earth- 
star  was  given 
That  back  to  the  heaven- star  should  run. 

So  in  all  things  it  is :  the  first  origin  lives, 

And  loves  his  life  out  to  his  flock ; 
And  in  dust,  and  in  matter,  and  nature.  He 

gives 
The  spirit's  last  spark  from  the  rock. 


There  is  a  power 

Rules  fairy  hour, 
And  gives  the  grace  of  action ; 

And  in  its  name 

Doth  lie  its  flame 
Of  working  and  attraction. 

Tis  a  bright  wand 
Within  the  hand 


J 


THE    FAIRY    WAND.  231 

Of  Fay,  all  queenly  sitting  : 

It  looks  of  flame  ; 

And  round,  the  same 
In  greener  light  is  flitting. 

That  wand  is  love, 

That  through  doth  move, 
Like  sap  thro^  plants  of  glory  : 

And  on  the  stem. 

It  drops  a  gem 
That  tells  its  inward  story. 

In  letters  white 

Of  diamond  light 
Those  fairy- runes  are  chartered  : 

With  words  of  earth 

Of  poet  birth 
Those  runes  were  poorly  bartered. 


For  His  the  Word 

That  through  has  stirred, 

And  left  Love's  hieroglyphic  ; 
And  meaning's  rush 
Doth  glow  and  gush 

Within  those  lines  prolific. 


232  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  handlers  Use ; 

In  goodly  noose 
It  grasps  the  fairy  fingers : 

And  when  they  want 

Good  use  to  plant, 
That  handle  never  lingers. 

The  point  is  truth  : 
'Tis  tipped  with  youth : 

It  draws  desire's  designs. 
And  every  want 
That  soul  doth  haunt^ 

Comes  well  within  its  lines. 

'Tis  compasses 

Of  lands  and  seas  ; 
Creation's  goodly  former ; 

With  that  wand  once, 

Chaotic  trance 
Grew  lighter  still  and  warmer, 

Till  the  first  day 

Shot  the  first  ray 
That  broke  first  matter's  slumbers, 

And  morning  stars 

In  heavenly  cars 
Sang  out  creation's  numbers. 


THE    FAIKY    WAND.  233 

But  here  most  small, 

For  festival 
Of  fairy-small  intentions  ; 

To  draw  the  cm-ve 

Whose  horse  will  serve 
For  fairy- small  inventions. 

The  wand  itself, 

Unfit  for  elf, 
Strong  goodness  hath  for  fibre  : 

Than  Rome  more  strong  ; 

And  all  along 
Doth  flow  strength's  ruddy  Tiber. 

The  blaze  around, 

A  royal  ground. 
Is  dignity  of  beauty  ; 

And  polish  there. 

All  queenly  fair. 
Is  fitness  for  God's  duty. 

Each  fay  hath  one  ; 

The  corner-stone 
Of  all  his  power  of  action  : 

By  this  he  works. 

And  conquers  irks 
With  might  of  sweet  attraction. 


234  IMPROVISATIONS. 

For  stones  and  rocks, 
And  marble  blocks, 

And  stolid  wights  of  Nature ; 
And  corn  and  flowers, 
And  light  and  powers, 

And  lions  in  their  stature ; 

And  light  and  heat. 
And  chemic  feet 

Of  ceaseless  transformation ; 
And  moon  and  stars. 
And  dungeon-bars 

Of  race  and  man  and  nation  ; 

In  Orphic  waltz, 

Like  salient  salts. 
To  fay- wand  are  obedient : 

And  tricks  of  light, 

Love-infinite, 
Are  in  its  quick  expedient. 

For  it  waves  well 

Above  the  spell 
Of  poor  desire's  expansion  : 

The  love  of  good 

Is  its  own  rood, 
The  measure  of  its  mansion. 


THE    FAIRY    WAND.  235 

And  when  the  wand 

Within  the  pond 
Of  life  hath  worked  its  calling  ; 

'Tis  not  laid  bye 

From  curious  eye, 
Past  accidents'  befalling. 

But  to  fay-breast 

'Tis  closely  pressed, 
And  lo  !  a  miracle  : — 

Breast  takes  it  in 

With  influx  thin, 
And  keeps  its  holy  spell. 

It  melts  through  heat : 

The  fairy  feet 
Its  handle  do  absorb  ; 

The  stem  doth  cease 

In  bosom's  peace : 
Fay-head  hath  got  its  orb. 

For  'tis  the  fay 

In  wand  doth  play  ; 
His  power  in  his  own  hand : 

Dependent  not 

On  other's  lot, 
But  perfect  in  his  band. 


236  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Extemporized 

Are  all  things  prized  : 
Not  made  with  hands  of  man  : 

Houses  and  goods, 

And  music  floods  ; 
For  heaven's  is  instant  plan. 

But  when  he  would 
The  wand  should  bud 

From  out  his  keeping  bosom  : 
He  raises  hand 
To  heavenly  strand, 

And  shuts  his  eyelight's  blossom. 

And  lo  !  his  grasp 

Doth  straightway  clasp 
His  own  lifers  bright  extension. 

God  gives  him  so 

Quick  power  to  go 
Through  infinite  invention. 


WILLIAM    M.  237 


maimx  11. 

Lord,  let  my  life  be  better, 

And  let  my  light  abound, 
And  free  from  error's  fetter 

Let  all  my  feet  be  found : 
For  Thou  hast  here  received  me  : 

Beyond  the  grave  I  stand  : 
Thy  love  as  womb  conceived  me 

Within  the  Christian  land. 

When  I  was  brought  from  death, 

And  saw  my  foot  was  clear. 
And  that  to  loving  faith 

There  was  no  shade  of  fear, 
Me  thought  an  archway  wooed  me, 

And  under  it  I  passed : 
No  evil  there  pursued  me  : 

For  evil's  coil  was  cast. 

It  led  me  to  a  garden 

Where  all  the  flowers  were  hearts ; 
Love  was  the  blessed  warden 

That  tended  all  its  parts  ; 


238  IMPROVISATIONS. 

It  showered  its  roses  upwards. 
They  hung  in  crimson  clouds, 

And  then  their  rim  ran  cupwards, 
And  then  I  saw  new  crowds. 

Within  the  sky  above  me, 

And  o'er  the  garden's  span, 
Were  eyes  whose  lights  did  love  me, 

As  man  loves  fellow-man  : 
I  gazed  with  upward  glances 

To  find  who  they  might  be  : 
They  said  they  were  the  trances 

Of  coming  heaven  for  me. 

And  they  became  a  curtain 

Of  bliss  upon  my  lids  : 
And  now  I  saw  for  certain, 

That  when  my  Saviour  bids. 
All  life  and  love  and  glory 

Can  flow  our  lives  around  : 
For  sleep  had  wonder- story, 

And  vision  without  bound. 

I  dreamt  a  little  lake 

Around  my  footsteps  lay, 

And  I  had  but  to  take. 
And  lave  within  its  bay, 


WILLIAM    M.  239 

And  spiritual  sources 

Of  life  were  oped  mthin  : 
And  on  the  marge,  the  horses 

Of  light  and  wisdom's  kin. 

That  lake  was  my  resource, 

A  treasury  divine, 
And  there  my  warrior  horse 

Reflected,  stooped  to  shine  : 
His  neck  was  arched  with  beauty, 

And  strength  was  married  there  : 
And  on  his  back  was  duty, 

And  o'er  his  head  was  prayer. 

He  reared  with  fondest  motion, 

And  on  his  sides  I  stood  : 
We  both  along  that  ocean 

Moved  sidewise,  blood  to  blood  : 
The  music  of  us  both 

Moved  both  the  matter's  piece  : 
And  like  great  Behemoth 

Our  statures  did  increase. 

I  felt  I  had  a  Maker  : 

He  knew  my  veriest  grains  : 

He  was  my  spirit-taker  : 
And  counted  all  my  pains : 


240  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  He  liad  made  my  horse  too, 
And  lie  and  I  were  one  : 

And  He  would  shape  my  course  too. 
And  guide  my  foot  from  stone. 

At  length  my  horse  was  mounted, 

And  all  his  color  white  : 
And  then  for  hours  uncounted, 

I  travelled  in  delight : 
And  saw  a  golden  city, 

Where  pearly  life  was  gate. 
And  where  the  Aura- Pity 

Dropt  tears  upon  the  state. 

This  was  a  new  baptizing  : 

My  horse  and  I  went  here : 
But  ah  !  God  is  surprising 

In  wonder,  love,  and  fear  : 
I  lost  my  horse  herein. 

And  never  saw  him  more : 
They  said  he  was  a  skin. 

And  then  he  was  a  shore. 

And  I  went  forth  from  thence. 
Foot-mounted  once  again  : 

But  I  felt  Providence 

Had  known  my  life  and  pain  : 


WILLIAM    M.  241 

For  as  I  passed  along, 

And  saw  the  people  gaze, 
I  heard  a  little  song, 

But  one  of  real  praise. 

It  said  :  "  Now  brother,  go  ; 

Though  thou  hast  left  thine  horse, 
Yet  now  no  longer  slow, 

But  lightning  is  thy  course  : 
The  steeds  of  mortal  thinking 

Are  low  of  hoof  and  face  : 
Thy  newer  horse  is  drinking 

Dew-lightning  for  a  race. 

Love  enters  in  thy  valley  : 

Go  thither  to  thy  home  : 
Heaven's  little  children  rally 

To  greet  thee  :  lo  !  they  come !" 
A  troop  of  little  maids, 

A  bouquet  of  young  boys, 
Came  in  the  sweetest  braids 

Of  twine  of  joys  with  joys. 

They  were  the  garden  now 

Of  a  new  heaven  to  me ; 
And  still  on  each  one's  brow 

Flowers  farther  still  I  see  : 


242  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  in  the  house  appointed, 
My  horse  is  still  mine  own  : 

But  life  is  now  anointed, 

And  stands  before  the  throne. 

And  use  is  busy  footed. 

And  talk  is  sweet  like  winds 
When  songs  of  roses  bruited, 

Are  in  the  angels'  minds  : 
And  days  are  not  too  long. 

Nor  ever  night  too  sweet : 
But  I  have  still  a  song 

That  shall  Emma  greet. 


Craven  and  cowering 

The  ray  of  the  light : 
Lowering  and  lowering, 

And  setting  in  night, 
Eambles  the  thought  world. 

It  breaketh  its  foot : 
'Tis  false  and  naught- world  : 

The  steam  of  the  brute. 


IMMANUEL    KANT.  243 

I  came  to  right  it : 

But  very  soon  found, 
Thought  would  requite  it, 

And  punish  my  ground  : 
Nor  was  I  wrong  there  : 

For  lo  !  one  fine  morning, 
I  heard  a  song  there, 

Like  ravens  a- scorning. 

And  it  sang  thus  wise  : 

"  Thy  mind  is  a  sieve : 
All  its  beams  crosswise 

Believe  and  believe. 
Like  other  people 

Thy  head  is  at  last : 
But  thou^rt  their  church  steeple, 

Stuck  up  like  their  mast." 

So  I  did  ponder : 

And  song  came  again  : 
Song  for  a  wonder : 

For  song's  not  my  vein. 
It  said:  ''Mister  Kant, 

You  are  a  fine  man  : 
But  your  mind  is  a  plant. 

And  your  brain  hath  a  span.'' 
r2 


244  IMPROVISATIONS. 

I  knew  this  myself : 

I  said  it  was  so : 
But  retorted  my  elf, 

In  that  case  you're  at  woe : 
Why  impose  your  basket 

On  all  mortals'  crowns : 
Leave  each  one  to  ask  it 

In  countries  and  towns. 

You're  the  absolute  man  : 

Why  absolute  though : 
Your  poor  little  plan 

Is  a  measure  too  slow : 
You're  only  a  German, 

And  only  one  sort : 
If  you  were  but  a  Merman, 

You'd  know  other  sport. 

Thought  I  to  myself : 

A  rude  speaking  spirit : 
Let  me  see  on  which  shelf 

I'll  dispose  of  his  merit : 
He's  according  to  sense, 

And  its  meshes  of  treason  : 
Categorical  hence. 

And  not  of  pure  reason. 


IMMANUEL    KANT.  245 

Still  I  could' nt  still  him  : 

My  cook  he  had  been  : 
I  thought  I  could  kill  him  : 

His  sense  was  so  mean  : 
He  persisted  however ; 

Was  vulgarly  plain  : 
And  I  couldnt  dissever 

His  talk's  common  skein. 

He  talked  on  so  fast, 

With  matter  so  much, 
And  with  hurry  and  haste, 

And  contagion  of  touch. 
That  I  had  no  time 

To  philosophize  left, 
But  chained  to  his  chime. 

With  him  I  must  shift. 


Apprenticed  at  present 

To  butchers  and  bakers, 
'Tis  not  very  pleasant : 

But  these  are  my  makers  : 
Whenever  pure  reason 

Or  pure  understanding. 
Or  sense  out  of  season 

Converse  on  my  landing. 


246  IMPROVISATIONS. 

My  practical  masters 

Come  curative  round : 
And  proffer  me  plasters 

Until  I  am  sound : 
Good  works,  yea,  good  hard  ones, 

Are  cure  for  pure  reason  : 
And  as  for  my  marred  ones, 

They're  stored  for  a  season. 

So  matters  were  standing, 

When  first  here  I  came : 
About  I  was  wending. 

Apprenticed  to  shame  : 
Youths  myriad  came  round  me. 

With  eyes  all  like  slides  : 
Brass  box-tops,  to  wound  me 

With  what  it  betides. 

For  I  never  had  known 

That  spirit  hath  sense, 
Or  that  God  doth  disown 

All  worldly  pretence : 
That  seeing  is  true. 

And  communeth  with  light. 
And  that  heaven  hath  her  blue 

In  loving  delight. 


IMMANUEL    KANT.  247 

I  had  pitched  o'er  the  grave 

With  philosophy's  stuff, 
And  left  man  a  slave 

Of  his  brain  and  his  cuff; 
And  now  when  unshrouded, 

My  grave  wouldn't  open : 
But  there  I  was,  crowded 

With  dead  bodies  gropen. 

We  all  had  potheads, 

Real  round  like  brass  pots  : 
They  were  heavy  as  leads, 

And  unsteady  as  sots  : 
All  lay  up  together, 

Immoveably  fast : 
Want  of  sense  was  the  tether 

That  round  us  was  cast. 

A  crocodile  came  : 

'Twas  an  evil  of  old  : 
His  tongue  a  dry  flame  : 

His  skin  a  dry  cold  : 
He  tumbled  us  over  : 

He  picked  out  my  loins  : 
He  then  did  uncover 

My  wallet  of  coins. 


248  IMPROVISATIONS. 

I  had  brought  earthly  money 

From  Konlgsberg  there : 
It  was  crocodiles'  honey, 

And  crocodiles'  prayer  : 
He  licked  at  my  pocket : 

And  lo  !  as  he  licked, 
He  grazed  my  hip-socket, 

And  out  my  hip  clicked. 

He  then  cried  out,  "  Progress  !' 

And  up,  on  one  leg, 
I  fled  from  the  ogress, 

And  started  a  jig  : 
All  Germany  after, 

Ran  eyeless  and  sad  : 
And  England  sent  laughter 

As  if  it  were  mad. 

Here  I  stand  on  one  leg : 

'Tis  the  lowermost  half: 
That  one  hath  a  peg 

Like  the  hoof  of  a  calf : 
When  I  know  of  worlds  both. 

And  when  Germany  trows, 
I  shall  purge  off  my  sloth, 

And  have  a  new  nose. 


GOTHIC    ARCHITECTURE.  249 


Veering  with  the  wind, 

Old  Religion  stood, 
And  her  gyves  did  bind 

O'er  the  human  flood  : 
Froze  the  living  calor 

Of  the  hearts  of  men, 
And  sent  forth  their  valor 

Through  an  iron  pen. 


She  came  down  to  earth 

From  electric  frost, 
And  robed  up  in  dearth, 

Felt  her  blood  was  lost ; 
So  she  took  her  wand 

From  her  shivering  side, 
And  threw  it  in  the  pond 

Of  world- wisdom  wdde. 


And  this  wand  was  icy, 
And  its  eye,  cold  fire  : 

Though  its  tongue  was  spicy 
With  monk- hot  desire  : 


250  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  the  world-pond  felt  it, 

Felt  it  to  the  core, 
But  could  never  melt  it, 

But  began  to  snore. 

And  ice  was  its  snoring, 

Apoplectic  ice ; 
And  it  went  a- whoring 

Where  its  dreams  were  nice, 
With  the  clouds  and  skylands, 

And  the  mountain  peaks  : 
And  it  dreamt  of  high  lands 

Where  ambition  wreaks. 

Then  the  pond  a-moving, 

Rose  in  crystals  cold  ; 
And  its  rays  of  loving 

Were  so  bony  old : 
It  got  bony  babbies. 

With  no  flesh  to  cover : 
And  Religion's  tabbies 

Each  one  had  a  lover. 

Groin  and  buttress  rose, 
Pinnacle  and  spire  : 

Roof  ran  down  to  close  : 

Gauntness  mounted  higher  : 


GOTHIC    ARCHITECTUUE.  251 

Gable  played  at  arches, 

Supercilious  thing, 
And  the  whole  was  starches' 

Emperor  and  king. 

When  the  wand  so  frosty. 

All  the  pond  had  frozen, 
And  the  floor  e'en  dusty. 

Had  attained  its  dozen, 
Then  the  second  stages 

Grew  by  slow  degrees, 
And  came  various  ages 

Of  the  death  of  trees. 

Tracery  of  frostwork 

Grew  about  the  pillar ; 
And  Love  knew  her  lost  w^ork, 

And  she  knew  her  killer  : 
Nature's  self  was  dying. 

Orderly  always  ; 
And  life's  heat  was  flying 

Days  and  days  and  days. 

And  the  ice  grew  thicker. 

As  cathedrals  reared  : 
Not  a  foot  of  liquor 

In  the  old  pond  speered  : 


252  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  the  blindness  mortal 

Of  tlie  winter  night 
Now  was  placed  for  portal 

To  the  vanished  light. 

Then  another  change  was  : 

Blood  was  dying  too  : 
Frost  came  there :  her  range  was 

Ever  black  and  blue  : 
She  took  monks  of  noses, 

Stning  them  up  in  rows  : 
Ruddy :  who  supposes 

They  were  red  with  snows  ? 

Frozen  sacristys 

Were  another  garden, 
Where  she  put  out  eyes, — 

She  is  darkness-warden, — 
All  the  lace  of  frost 

Was  the  garb  of  priests, 
And  the  icy  coast 

Froze  first  fattest  beasts. 

But  the  warriors  entered  t 
Mailed  warriors  clanged : 

Steel- hoof  warriors  centered 
In,  and  portals  banged : 


GOTHIC    ARCHITECTURE.  253 

And  the  priests  came  blessing, 

With  their  fawning  ice  : 
And  the  dames  caressing 

Said  such  frost  was  spice. 

Lo !  the  altar  shivers, 

Tis  a  snowy  altar  : 
For  a  young  heart  quivers, 

With  the  death-cold  halter : 
'Tis  a  nun  of  twenty, 

Hath  a  heart  of  flesh. 
And  hath  lovers  plenty, 

And  her  heaven  is  fresh. 

But  the  wand  hath  touched  her, 

And  she  too  is  freezing  : 
And  the  creed  hath  smutched  her, 

And  the  ice  is  pleasing : 
And  she  takes  her  station. 

Right  above  the  grave  : 
And  the  icy  nation 

Hath  her  in  his  cave. 

And  the  little  child 

Cometh  unto  frost, 
And  he  playeth  wild, 

And  his  doom  is  lust : 


254  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  the  lust  turns  chilly, 

Curdles  into  stone  : 
And  the  old  man  silly 

Runneth  into  bone. 

And  the  Gothic  spireway 

Pointeth  to  the  stars  ; 
Fain  would  chill  the  fireway 

Of  God's  living  cars  : 
Fain  would  make  heaven  vaulted, 

Icy  as  lust's  loins  : 
But  lust  shall  be  salted 

Firewise  in  its  groins. 

And  the  snows  upmelting, 

All  cathedral  aisles, 
Monks  and  bishops  pelting, 

Fall  in  snowy  smiles  : 
All  the  imps  of  winter 

Tumble  from  the  gables  : 
Down  come  dog  and  squinter  : 

Breaking  on  the  tables. 

And  the  moonbeams  washen. 
And  the  starlight  cleaned. 

And  the  girders  smashen. 
And  the  towers  demeaned, 


WAIT !  255 

Leave  the  day  to  palm-trees  : 

Give  the  Goth  his  doom  : 
And  make  churches  Balm-trees 

Where  man's  good  may  bloom. 


ioto  ran  fee  sing  tk  fcrb's  ^ong 
in  it  strange  fanb? 

ACH  is  surrounded  by  strangeness  and  woe : 
vil,  sad  Providence,  willeth  it  so  : 
mptiness  dwells  in  the  tent  of  the  waste : 
rouble  and  sadness  are  bitter  to  taste. 

arpstrings  are  pained  with  the  frost  and 

the  gloom  : 
iouds  of  the  graveyard  flit  over  the  room  ; 
vil  is  yeast  to  the  good  in  their  days  : 
vil  prepareth  for  song  of  new  praise. 

et  never  sing  in  the  presence  of  ill : 
ampness  and  fog  all  thy  gushing  would 
still  : 


256  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Wait  till  the  marish  is  drained ;  and  then 

build : 
AVait  for  the  good;   and  then  enter  their 

guild. 

1 


Well-a-day,  'tis  one  hour 
Since  the  darkness  shewed  its  power : 
And  the  moon  is  up  already, 
And  the  star- rays  are  all  steady, 
And  the  owlet  of  the  night 
Wantons  in  his  prey's  delight, 
And  the  shadows  chase  each  other, 
And  the  moon  is  darkness'  brother. 

Well-a-day !  Why  came  I  here  ? 

Let  me  see  !  I  left  a  tear 

On  the  table  by  the  door. 

And  a  book  upon  the  floor  ; 

And  a  landlady  of  paint. 

Whose  very  eyes  could  make  me  faint ; 

And  a  pile  of  musty  papers 

That  would  give  the  world  the  vapours. 


CHARLES    FOURIER.  257 

What's  the  good  of  all  of  it  ? 
I  can't  say  I  care  a  bit. 
I'm  so  tired  of  all  their  ways  : 
They  dream  wickedly  all  days : 
And  at  night  they  wake  to  worse : 
Doubtless  they  have  caught  the  curse : 
Fitted  on  subversion's  coat, 
And  built  hell  with  error's  moat. 

I  tried  teach  the  creatures  much  : 
They  tried  but  to  pick  my  pouch  : 
I  tried  tell  them  laws  harmonic, 
[When  love's  home  architectonic 
pomes  in  Phalanxes  along, 
Led  by  music,  life  and  song. 
And  the  senses  seven  are  blest, 
And  the  soul  has  all  the  rest. 

•But  the  viper  generation 
.Yhich  they  call  civilization, 

Jause  their  citizens  of  states, 
.Vhere  each  for  himself  creates, 
'weaves  the  others  to  the  devil, 

.nd  then  preaches  against  evil — 

'hat  viper- breed  w^ould  no  more  hear 

^han  if  peas  were  in  its  ear, 

s 


258  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Then  I  asked  heaven  how  to  do  it  ? 

And  my  genius  answered,  Brew  it 

In  the  kitchen  where  old  Love 

Doth  his  several  stew-pans  move : 

For  observe  you ;  belly-led, 

These  men  must  be  belly- fed. 

And  if  heaven  is  to  reach  them, 

Tis  through  cookery  you  must  teach  them. 

The  best  salvation  they  can  have. 
Is  in  cuisine,  and  in  wine  cave  : 
Teach  them  that  perfect  hannony, 
Shall  be  a  pride  for  every  eye  : 
That  music  shall  each  ear  salute, 
And  music  most  from  woman's  flute, 
And  that  taste  shall  allure  the  tongue, 
Until  all  blest  it  lies  along. 

I  set  to  work  at  once  :  the  dogs 
Barked  loud  in  philosophic  fogs  : 
The  preachers  said  all  joy  was  wrong. 
And  yet  that  nature's  wine  was  strong  : 
I  bade  them  taste :  the  beeswing  star 
Ended  the  philosophic  war  : 
Preacher  and  priest  could  hardly  see  : 
Then  hoped  I  they  belonged  to  me. 


CHARLES    FOURIER.  259 

But  yet  I  found  the  dogs  ungrateful : 
Their  state  was  bestial  and  hateful : 
They  took  the  pleasant  sin  like  liquor, 
And  mixed  it  with  their  wicked  ichor ; 
But  my  harmonic  cup  withal — 
Would  you  believe,  they  let  it  fall, 
And  kicked  it  ere  the  gutter  had  it. 
And  into  shameless  dance  did  gad  it. 

And  so  you  see,  the  learned  herd. 
Care  not  a  whit  for  highest  word  ; 
They  get  the  solid  pudding  first. 
And  then  its  wrappage  may  be  curst : 
And  they  won't  wait  for  harmony. 
But  like  their  goods  before  they  die. 
In  short,  civilization's  sons 
Are  but  the  ass  that  crops  and  runs. 

Well !  I  despatched  them  !  not  a  bait 

That  could  entrap  a  candidate. 

So  as  I  deemed  his  liquorish  ran. 

But  I  laid  out  in  goodliest  plan  : 

But  not  a  candidate  appeared. 

Though  I  was  getting  three- score  yeared. 

L4Lnd  so  I  said  :  my  fame  shall  be 

The  flagstaif- tower  of  harmonv. 

s  2 


260  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  then  I  set  to  work  again, 
And  tried  to  build  a  second  fane  ; 
Alack,  alack,  alack,  alack ! 
The  hod  of  stuff  upon  my  back. 
Is  still  of  the  same  kind  !  is  men 
From  foul  civilization's  den  : 
I  tried  to  carry  them  upstairs, 
But  they  all  slipped  off  unawares. 

Then  said  I :  immortality 
May  still  mean  something  high  and  dry : 
Perhaps  this  little  wicked  planet. 
Perverse  as  if  nine  dwarfs  did  ban  it, 
May  go  direct  to  dissolution, 
And  rid  the  world  of  its  pollution  ; 
But  I'll  communicate  with  others — 
No  one  star  my  fair  glory  smothers. 

I  found  on  coming  to  my  senses. 
That  spirit- glory  quite  dispenses 
With  earthly  planet- glory's  matter ; 
And  eats  life  from  another  platter. 
The  only  thing  I  now  have  left. 
For  of  all  fame  I  am  bereft. 
Is  just  a  pen  of  iron  chalk. 
That  serves  for  crutch  too  when  I  walk. 


CHARLES    FOUKlEJi.  2G1 

I  put  it  by,  and  night  by  night, 
It  walks  away  to  other  light, 
And  in  the  morning  writes  me  out, 
The  places  it  has  been  about : 
And  tells  me  tales  of  many  spheres, 
Where  men  and  women  have  long  ears. 
And  telescopic  eyes,  and  bellies 
That  tremble  like  Parisian  jellies. 

,  And  so  I  write,  and  so  I  walk, 

,  And  sometimes  too  my  stick  doth  talk  ; 

!  And  once  it  told  a  little  story, 

I  About  a  little  man  of  glory, 

I  Who  had  a  little  wig  of  fire, 
And  twinkling  glances  of  desire, 
And  he  had  little  shoes  of  satin. 
And  there  he  sat  from  eve  to  matin. 

And  on  a  day,  as  it  fell  out. 
He  roamed  about  and  roamed  about, 
And  he  took  snuif  of  knowing  herb. 
And  thought  did  still  his  brain  disturb, 
And  so  he  winked  until  he  hemmed. 
And  then  his  stick  he  downward  jammed, 
And  placed  his  heel  with  hardness  down, 
And  then  he  lifted  up  his  crown. 


262  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  then  he  cogitated  fresh, 
Then  walked  in  cogitation's  mesh  : 
And  then  built  fairy  castles  up, 
And  then  amended  all  his  troop. 
And  then  abused  his  neighbors'  huts. 
And  then  he  said  poor  wives  were  sluts, 
And  then  he  vilified  all  men. 
And  then  he  went  home  to  his  den. 

And  as  he  sat,  a  Desert- Owl, 
That  had  been  one  of  Pharaoh's  fowl, 
Asked  him  his  Catechism's  route. 
And  how  Commandments  follow  suite, 
And  as  he  couldn't  tell,  the  owl 
Came  and  sat  by  him  cheek  by  jowl, 
And  clawed  him  open,  and  did  place 
A  living  mouse  within  his  face. 

And  bade  it  nibble  there,  until 
It  had  devoured  his  inner  shell, 
And  afterwards,  instead  of  brain, 
It  was  to  ring  his  bells  of  pain, 
And  serve  for  organist  of  glee, 
Inside  his  wondrous  harmony : 
And  then  the  stick,  oh  !  horror,  oh ! 
Said  I  was  he,  and  this  my  woe. 


THE    HAND.  263 


The  hand  was  thus  created  : — 
A  glorious  band  was  mated, 
And  from  their  loving  pledge, 
Went  forth  a  faithful  wedge. 

It  pierced  wherever  man 
Was  ready  for  its  plan : 
And  gave  a  goal  of  fire 
Unto  all  old  desire. 

I  saw  it  upward  go  : 
Then  the  sunrise  did  flow  : 
And  rivers  of  delight 
AVashed  out  the  stain  of  night. 

The  massive  tenderness 
That  ancient  heaven  did  bless, 
Was  in  its  hinder  parts, 
And  ruled  its  powerful  hearts. 

It  was  the  wedge  of  love ; 
With  truth  to  press  above. 
And  to  effect  its  way  ; — 
Then  back  again  to  day. 


264  IMPKOVISATIONS. 

And  at  a  certain  stage 
Of  old  creation's  rage, 
When  the  old  fire  was  weak, 
The  wedge  was  all  to  seek. 

And  man  contracted  then, 
And  shrivelled  to  a  pen, 
And  to  a  goose's  quill : 
The  dandriff  of  his  wiW. 

The  prophet  ages  sad 
Were  weary  of  its  gad  : 
And  Scribes  and  Pharisees 
Were  left  in  twos  and  threes. 

It  came  to  pass  at  length, 
That  no  more  natural  strength 
Remained  in  the  old  arm. 
Than  would  half  keep  it  warm. 

The  hoof  of  pen  it  held. 
From  out  its  grasp  was  felled. 
And  a  more  worldly  troop 
Stooped  down  and  picked  it  up. 

Then  God  said  :  ''  It  is  so  : 
Man's  willing  is  his  woe : 


•      THE    HAND.  265 

I  send  another  wedge, 

To  plough  the  water's  edge." 

A  sign  in  heaven  appeared  : 
A  spirit  chariot  neared  : 
A  bounteous  face  was  there  : 
Harnessed  were  birds  of  prayer. 

It  flew  above  the  land  : 
It  had  no  bags  of  sand, 
Such  as  high-flying  bards 
Drop  out  from  broken  shards. 

But  ere  it  came  to  west, 
And  while  its  feet  were  blest, 
And  while  the  airy  home 
Gave  willingness  to  roam  : 

It  took  a  mantle- fire, 
And  cast  it  on  a  pyre 
That  a  lone  worship-man 
Had  heaped  up  for  a  plan. 

And  lo  !  the  pyre  caught  flame  ; 
And  the  flame  spoke  a  name : 
And  the  name's  name  was  New, 
And  also  Good  and  True. 


266  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  then  he  journeyed  on  : 
And  after  he  was  gone, 
Each  place  his  robe  had  quitted, 
From  night  was  manumitted. 

And  in  each  place  a  ray 
Stood  waiting  for  a  day : 
And  expectation's  light 
Was  in  the  stricken  night. 

But  he  passed  onwards  ever, 
And  his  course  was  a  river 
That  never  dries  again, 
But  runs  from  main  to  main. 

And  in  the  farthest  west, 
From  the  east  most  unblest, 
The  chariot  stood  above 
A  pool  of  desert  love. 

And  it  communed  therewith  : 
And  all  its  sayings'  pith 
Was  just  these  little  words  : 
'•''  Life  now  for  little  birds." 

The  pool  no  longer  black, 
Eat  of  that  red  sky-rack, 


THE    HAND.  267 

And  pupil  of  heaven's  eye, 
AV^as  in  its  desert  dye. 

And  when  the  pool  created, 
With  that  eye  eyewise  mated, 
Had  loved  a  little  while, 
It  gave  a  little  smile. 

And  then  the  chariot  smiled  : 
And  then  the  pool  was  mild  : 
And  love  went  whispering  soft 
'Twixt  pool  and  car  aloft. 

Lo  !  from  the  car  a  hand, 
Put  forth  by  golden  band  : 
From  a  bright  company  : 
Like  Love  from  out  the  sea. 

And  from  the  pool  below. 
Reflected  hand  did  blow : 
And  Adam  saw  it  rise, 
And  led  it  to  the  skies. 

It  was  the  life  of  heaven 
Through  the  earth-crystal  given  : 
Which  stood  on  pond  below. 
And  saw  its  heavenly  glow. 


268  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  gave  itself  away  : 
And  took  reflecting  clay, 
And  made  it  into  heaven 
Where  God  his  life  has  given. 

And  spirit-hand  is  now 
Upon  the  mortal  brow  : 
The  forehead  is  the  pond 
Reflecteth  the  Beyond. 

And  the  Christ- car  hath  come, 
From  home,  for  home,  to  home  : 
And  the  earth  bears  His  weight, 
And  stands  beneath  His  state. 


Let  fall  the  curtain 

Upon  the  futm-e  hour  and  fate, 
And  leave  me  most  uncertain 

Of  coming  state. 


UNCERTAINTY.  269 

Let  me  not  know  if  gravitation 

Will  hold  to-morrow, 
Or  if  the  sun  will  keep  his  station, 

Or  the  moon  borrow. 


Let  sciences  be  held 

For  daily  worth  : 
They  have  come  down  from  eld. 

With  fitful  birth. 


Naught  absolute  in  them, 

But  use  of  hour  : 
The  moment  is  their  gem. 

And  fragrant  flower. 

Pushed  to  extremes. 

They  close  the  spirit  soul, 
And  lose  the  genial  beams 

That  round  them  roll. 


Record  them  ;  keep  their  light 

In  urns  of  books. 
And  let  their  truths  be  bright 

As  Friendship's  looks. 


270  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  never  fancy  still 

That  they  are  final ; 
Or  that  the  human  will, 

And  senses  trinal, 

Do  more  than  feed  the  present 

With  wine  sufficing ; 
There  is  no  thought  so  pleasant^ 

As  Truth's  surprising. 

One  thing  is  fixed  :  God^s  "Word : 
One  is  immortal, — spirit : 

All  other  things  are  stirred 
In  round  of  merit. 

They  come  and  go  :  and  die  : 

And  live  :  and  die  again  : 
Then  let  them  past  thee  fly : 
Thy  one  sure  point  is  sky  : 
The  rest,  is  restless  main. 


CHATTERTON.  271 


Cljattcrton. 


Wild  and  slow  the  measure 

Comes  in  measured  notes  : 
Far  from  shore  of  pleasure, 

On  bat- wing  it  floats  : 
Tis  the  car  of  him, 

Starless  Chatterton, 
Whose  life- light  burnt  dim 

To  its  wick  of  stone. 


See  he  cometh  wailing, 

Cloud-blood  bears  him  up ; 
And  his  boat  is  sailing, 

Boat  of  poison  cup  : 
Tis  the  very  vial 

Poisoned  all  his  blood. 
Now  is  boat  of  trial 

O'er  dark  spirit  flood. 

See  he  lands,  from  ink. 
Sea  of  inky  blackness  : 

Sour  sad, — oh  !  to  think 

Of  his  long  limbs'  slackness  : 


272  IMPROVISATIONS. 

See !  the  waste  hath  caught  him — 

Demon  of  the  waste  : 
And  with  thumb  hath  wrought  him 

Blood  and  bone  to  paste. 

For  he  had  no  lasting, 

But  his  life  spilt  life  ; 
Double  life,  with  hasting, 

With  quick  poison  knife  : 
Spilled  his  mortal  blood  ; 

Spilled  his  spirit  fire  ; 
Spilled  him  in  the  flood 

Of  mad-hot  desire. 

He  knew  spirit  well. 

And  had  song  from  life, 
And  his  arms  did  swell. 

With  strong  harvest  rife  ; 
Inspiration's  corn, 

From  the  elder  hours  : 
And  the  spirit-horn, ' 

Viz.,  the  spirit -powers. 

But  born  out  of  time, 

World  grew  not  his  corn. 

And  upset  from  rhyme. 
World  provoked  his  horn  : 


CHATTERTON.  273 

And  revenge  grew  sting 

Under  in  his  skull, 
And  it  flapped  its  wing, 

All  his  face  to  dull. 

Then  he  hit  the  time, 

Hit  it  o'er  the  eyes, 
And  he  smeared  his  gnme 

O'er  his  spirit  prize  : 
And  the  world  grew  mad, — 

Mad  with  rage  and  fear  : 
And  the  bard  grew  sad, 

Mad  too  everywhere. 

So  he  took  the  bards 

From  their  heavenly  shelves. 
Shuffled  them  like  cards, 

Made  them  smoke  themselves  : 
Cut  the  blackened  pack. 

Cried  out.  What's  the  trick  ? 
Had  trumps  at  his  back. 

Sure  of  winning  quick. 

World  set  on  the  hounds  : 
World  cried.  Fie  for  shame : 

World's  good  knew  no  bounds, 
In  robbing  his  good  name  : 

T 


274  IMPKOVISATIONS. 

So  the  spirit  poet, 

Else  a  flood  of  joy, 
Never  more  could  know  it. 

But  its  base  alloy. 

So  in  chambered  anguish, 

AYill  he  made  with  God, 
Not  content  to  languish. 

Underneath  the  rod  : 
So  the  bards  of  eld 

Went  away,  away, 
And  his  vial  held 

Murder  for  its  play. 

So  the  demon  juices. 

Gave  him  demon  life  : 
And  for  demon  uses, 

He  did  enter  strife  : 
Knocked  at  hell's  broad  doorway, 

Rung  the  devil's  bell ; 
Thundered  on  his  floorway. 

And  drank  his  deeper  spell. 

Now  he  Cometh  earthward. 
Song  to  claim  of  thee  : 

Fain  would  push  in  birthward, 
Were  he  only  free  ; 


I 


JAMES    KOBINSON.  275 

But  the  door  of  doom  steel 

Giveth  way  for  none  : 
And  hell  in  her  wombsteel 

Holdeth  Chatterton. 


lames  lobiusan:. 

Use  is  divine  :  steel  soft, 

When  kindness  liveth 
Within  its  claw  :  full  oft 

Tenderness  riveth  ; 
And  freedom  true  with  lower  freedom 
striveth. 

Thou  hast  a  woman's  heart, 

And  a  man's  hand  : 
Choose  well  the  better  part : 

No  shame  shall  brand 
The  dentist- skilfulness  :  its  roots  are  grand. 

It  tears  old  Evil's  stumps. 

Plucks  them  away  : 
It  hath  a  hand  of  trumps, 

And  yet  shall  play. 
Until  the  morning  hours  let  in  new  day. 

T  2 


27  G  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Thy  teeth  are  ivory  : 

Not  false,  but  true  : 
Thou  hast  strength's  livery  : 

Thy  laurel  grew 
In  kindness  gardens  :  love  is  thy  rare  thevv. 


Jesus 


And  he^  casting  away  his  garment,  rose,  and  came  to 


Death's  light  is  immortal, 
For  it  is  the  portal 
Whence  the  spirit- glory 
Gildeth  human  story. 
List  and  thou  shalt  hear  : 
Master  Death  is  near. 

Will  is  waxing  weak : 
Blood  hath  lost  the  cheek  : 
Heart  hath  lost  the  fire  : 
Life  hath  lost  desire  : 
In  the  stagnant  flood 
Runneth  other  good. 


death's  immortal  light.         277 

Hark  !  the  breath  is  going  ! 
Hark  !  the  sand  is  flomng  ! 
Hark  !  the  eve  is  dim  : 
Hark  !  the  hearing  rim 
Hath  no  concert  more 
On  the  sullen  shore. 

Mystical  almost 
Looketh  now  the  coast : 
Fairy  lives  may  haunt 
Where  the  soil  is  gaunt, 
And  pale  moonlight  shines 
O'er  the  sun-left  lines. 

Yet  I  see  a  change  : 
Lo !  a  halo's  range  : 
Lo  !  a  newer  troop 
In  that  halo's  hoop  : 
Can  it  be  that  friends 
Watch  at  both  life's  ends  ? 

It  is_  even  so  : 
It  is  friends'  love  glow : 
And  they  form  around  : 
Guards  without  a  sound  : 
But  a  radiant  smile 
Gleams  like  a  bright  isle. 


278  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Now  they  close  :  and  see, 
Where  the  death  is  free, 
And  the  dust  is  shed, 
And  the  dust  is  sped, 
And  the  body  drear, 
Lo  !  they  punish  fear. 

For  they  sit  around, 
Guards  without  a  sound  : 
And  they  draw  their  line 
Eound  the  dying  eyne, 
And  they  pluck  the  light 
From  the  lashes  spite. 

And  they  ask  the  Lord, 
Out  of  His  own  Word, 
For  the  life  again, 
Wandering  o'er  the  plain  : 
And  they  bring  the  life. 
New  intention's  wife. 

Lo  !  the  body  lies  ! 
Lo !  it  utters  cries  ! 
And  these  cries  are  heard 
In  the  heayenly  Word, 
And  the  Word  doth  haste 
To  relieye  the  waste. 


death's  immortal  light.        279 

Then  the  spirit  eye, 
Bom  no  more  to  die, 
Trooping  from  a  star 
That  seems  held  afar, 
Hovereth  o'er  the  brow, 
And  sits  on  its  prow. 

And  the  spirit  ear, 
Horse  no  more  of  fear, 
Cometh  fi^om  a  cloud 
That  doth  overshroud 
All  the  breathing  airs 
Of  the  clime  of  prayers. 

And  the  spirit  hand 
Cometh  from  a  band 
That  do  members  weld. 
By  giTat  Lord  upheld 
In  creation's  way, 
And  in  wonder  play. 

So  the  judgment  goes  : 
So  the  glorious  rose 
Of  the  newborn  soul 
Hath  its  joys  that  roll 
Round  it  memberwise, 
Seen  not  of  its  eyes. 


280  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Now  another  act ! 
Man  again  compact, 
Asketh  of  his  Lord, 
Asketh  from  his  Word, 
Why  the  light  of  God 
Blooms  from  mortal  sod  ? 

And  his  members  say, — 
For  the  Lord  gives  way 
To  their  voices  true  : — 
That  is  naught  to  you  : 
Take  the  godlike  gift : 
Let  it  lift  and  lift. 

Then  he  holds  his  peace  : 
Death  hath  got  release  : 
He  has  taken  flight. 
And  put  out  his  night : 
And  the  soul  has  formed 
On  the  shore  it  wanned. 

Hearken  now  again : 
'Tis  a  different  strain  : 
Death  hath  come,  and  said, 
That  the  man,  not  dead, 
Hath  defrauded  Death, 
And  paid  only  Faith. 


death's  immortal  light.        281 

So  Death  ushered  in, 
Will  have  pay  of  sin  : 
And  the  cheek  once  more, 
Shaketh  in  its  core  : 
And  the  eye  turns  up, 
And  is  soiTOw's  cup. 

This,  because  the  soul 
Hath  a  farther  goal, 
And  Death's  faithful  man, 
Knoweth  of  God's  plan, 
And  followeth  up  the  soul 
To  hie  him  to  his  goal. 

'Twas  not  such  a  time 
That  the  heavy  rhyme 
Of  the  mortal  hour 
Could  put  forth  its  power. 
When  the  Saviour  died. 
And  the  world  was  tried. 

He  arose  to  day, 
And  the  common  clay. 
Kept  him  not  from  heaven. 
Yet  the  law  was  riven  ; 
For  he  came  to  earth. 
More  than  heavenly  birth. 


282  IMPROVISATIONS. 

So  it  is  when  man 
Once  hath  life  began, 
Heaven  and  earth  shall  each 
See  his  rising  teach  : 
Heaven  in  days  of  days  : 
Earth  in  earlier  ways. 

Christ  did  come  again, 

When  the  monstrous  pain 

Of  the  cross  and  Jew 

Had  passed  through  and  through, 

And  had  put  all  death 

Into  His  crown's  wreath. 

Christ  a  second  time 
Came  in  Judah's  clime  : 
And  in  spirit  might 
Sad  with  heavenly  light, 
Over  earth  he  stood, 
On  its  pitchy  flood. 

So  be  then  the  song. 
Light  of  Death  hath  tongue 
To  all  eyes  that  speaks  : 
To  all  ears  that  breaks. 
Thou  shalt  find  it  out : 
Glory  is  its  shout. 


1 


SUNDAY    MESSAGE.  283 


Be  patient,  gentle,  free  of  haste, 
Impatient  but  of  wrong  and  waste, 
Lending  thine  arm  imto  the  Lord, 
Resting  thine  arm  upon  his  AVord  : 
Expecting  fruit  from  purity, 
And  rottenness  from  vanity  : 
Heeding  beauty  in  its  good. 
Not  in  its  dress  and  harlot  mood  : 
Ne^er  thinking  of  effect  and  show, 
But  only  of  the  right,  the  glow 
Of  good  to  come,  and  use  to  man  : 
Glory  to  God  :  Whose  is  the  plan. 


Thine  are  all  the  days  which  sin  and  sorrow 
Pour  from  out  the  lap  of  passing  time  ; 

Also  thine  is  that  supreme  to-morrow 
Which  arises  in  true  Sabbath  chime. 


284  IMPROVISATIONS. 

From  the  aged  belfry  of  the  present 

Tolls  the  hour  when  life  shall  pass  away  : 

Dear  and  joyous  then,  and  ever  pleasant, 
Is  the  thought  that  doth  around  thee  pray. 

Thou  dost  look  on  high,  past  the  tall  spire 
Of  earth's  religion,  to  a  brighter  world ; 
And  forms  of  love,  and  love's  own  body, 
fire, 
Are   gleaming   there,    in   cloudy   glory 
furled. 

There  they  beckon  with  white  golden  fingers, 
And  they  claim  the  sister's  heart  alway  : 

Hark !  they  speak :  they  ask  me  why  she 
lingers, 
Nor  joins  now  her  kindred  bright  array. 

They  point  her  place  between  two  angels 
like  her, 
More  like  than  brothers  are  and  sisters 
here  : 
But  ah !  she  saith  that  other  voices  strike 
her, 
And  that  home  calls  her  in  the  mortal 
sphere. 


1 


SUNDAY    MESSAGE.  285 

And  then  they  shut  their  ranks,   and  are 

completed 

AVithout  the  order  of  her  shining  life  : 

And   time   too   closes   the    cloudland   that 

greeted, 

And  no  more  the  sky  \nth  those  is  rife. 

For  a  further  goal  and  brighter  heaven 
Is  the  destined  cottage  of  her  spirit, 

And  her  Lord,  whose  cross  and  name  is 
seven. 
Knows  the  land  she  shall  at  length  inherit; 

With  a  band  she  leads  as  shepherdess 
Through  the  meads  and  by  the  streams 
of  truth. 

And  of  goodness,   which   through   her   do 
bless 
Husband,   father,   child,   man's  age  and 
youth. 


286  IMPROVISATIONS. 

^t  6artlj  Moxm  at  %  xoot  oi  tlje 

Thou  didst  delve  down 

Below  the  soil, 
And  find  the  crown 

Of  rot  and  moil. 

The  tree  shall  live, 
And  leaf  its  day  : 
Thy  spirit  sieve 
Will  not  reprieve 
The  worm  that  comes  thy  way. 


§ilMt 

Wonder  of  wonders  here ! 

A  baby  on  the  ground : 
Around  his  head  a  sphere 

Of  light  and  heat  and  sound  : 
All  elements  at  play 

Within  that  cloud  are  seen : 
And  nature  there  at  fray, 

With  red  and  brown  and  green. 


D ALTON.  287 

He  moves  his  little  eyes, 

Their  balls  are  tender  glass : 
And  as  his  mouthlet  cries, 

A  troop  of  faeries  pass 
From  right  to  left  along, 

And  shake  their  little  torches. 
And  this  the  little  song 

Sounds  from  their  little  chmxhes. 

"  Awake,  awake,  awake. 

Old  slumber- world  arise ! 
Thy  drowsy  members  shake, 

And  ope  thy  better  eyes : 
The  fairy  cups  of  being 

Stand  at  thy  board  to  drink  : 
And  thou  shalt  now  have  seeing 

Just  o'er  the  eternal  brink.'' 


With  this  they  vanished  quite, 

And  yet  they  vanished  not. 
For  lo !  they  left  a  light 

That  never  left  the  spot : 
And  that  light  Avas  a  mirror. 

Mirage  among  the  trees. 
And  it  could  shew  one's  error, 

That  is — if  one  did  please. 


288  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  baby  lifted  upwards 

His  little  hands  to  heaven, 
And  lo  !  there  galloped  cup  wards 

A  band  of  spirits  seven  : 
They  came  from  all  seven  corners 

Of  all  the  sevenfold  sphere  : 
And  in  their  hands  were  burners : 

And  o'er  each  STvung  a  tear. 

The  first  named  sprite  is  Number : 

His  essence  is  to  mix, 
And  send  into  deep  slumber 

Those  beings  that  shall  fix 
And  frame  and  build  the  world  work, 

And  calculate  the  stars  : 
And  he  knows  all  the  curld  work 

Within  the  ocean  cars. 


The  second  sprite  is  Ferment, 

Who  giveth  good  to  all, 
And  shaketh  matter's  cerement. 

And  rolleth  on  her  ball : 
And  rubs  her  surface  cleanly : 

And  makes  her  shine  ^Yith.  glee ; 
And  not  a  rag  flaps  meanly 

Where  Ferment  is  but  free. 


I 


DALTON.  289 

But  sprite  the  third  is  wiser ; 

Nay  AVisdom  is  her  name  : 
And  she  is  heaven's  own  miser, 

And  tempers  every  flame : 
And  all  the  stones  she  knoweth, 

And  counts  their  several  kin : 
And  round  about  she  throweth 

The  light  that  lives  within. 

Now  the  fourth  spirit's  name 

Is  Fire  of  mortal  color  : 
And  hath  a  face  of  shame, 

And  hath  a  mortal  dolour : 
Because  her  pyre  is  earth, 

And  rotteth  in  her  arms  : 
And  there  is  little  w^orth 

Within  Fire's  natural  charms. 

The  name  of  the  fifth  spirit 

Is  Form,  that  steps  wdth  foot 
Upon  the  land  where  merit 

Hath  planted  every  fruit : 
That  spirit  hath  long  fingers. 

And  mouldeth  matter's  clay, 
And  evermore  he  lingers 

Round  evening's  ruddy  way. 


290  IMPROVISATIONS. 

The  sixth  of  these  new  creatures 

Is  neither  man  nor  beast : 
Nor  hath  it  nature's  features  : 

Nor  body  in  the  least : 
But  it  is  ruby-handed, 

And  diamond- footed  seer  : 
And  its  broad  brow  is  branded 

With  mystery  severe. 

'Tis  Awfulness  of  Space, 

And  it  hath  feet  of  fire, 
But  never  yet  had  face. 

Excepting  to  desire. 
It  yawneth  round  all  being, 

And  teeth  it  hath  of  time. 
And  loveth  without  seeing, 

And  all  its  grains  are  rhyme. 

Seventhly  and  lastly  now. 

Another  creature  comes  : 
The  star  upon  his  brow 

Like  to  a  bee- heaven  hums  : 
He  is  creation's  Love : 

Larger  than  space  I  ween, 
The  king  of  largest  dove. 

For  spaxie  is  God's  love- queen. 


DALTON.  291 

These  spirits  in  a  mist, 

So  seen  they  were  not  seen, 
A  little  baby  kist, 

And  left  their  second  sheen 
Upon  his  little  face. 

And  then  they  passed  away ; 
But  still  there  grew  a  grace 

Where  once  their  light  did  play. 

That  little  baby  rose, 

Herculean  in  his  joys. 
And  dealt  his  little  blows. 

And  broke  his  little  toys : 
And  he  forgot  the  creatures 

He  never  had  remembered  : 
And  laughed  in  all  his  features, 

As  up  the  steep  he  clambered. 

He  went  to  school  of  grammar. 

And  went  to  school  of  books  : 
And  his  head  was  a  hammer, 

And  both  his  hands  were  hooks : 
But  still  a  vision  mighty 

Did  daze  before  his  ken : 
And  often  he  looked  flighty 

Unto  his  fellow  men. 

u  2 


292  IMFROYISATIONS. 

At  last  in  study  sitting, 

I  know  not  where  it  was, 
While  shadows  odd  were  flitting 

Before  his  memory- glass, 
Seven  people  all  a  talking. 

Came  to  his  inward  eye. 
And  there  he  saw  them  walking, 

Just  as  if  they  were  by. 

They  vanished ;  vanished  quite  : 

But  yet  though  they  were  gone. 
This  time  they  left  a  light 

That  o'er  his  study  shone : 
Form  gave  a  pm^e  fixation 

Of  courage  to  his  brain  : 
And  Space  was  reformation 

Across  his  window-pane. 

And  Number  came  with  Order, 

And  stamped  the  sheep  of  time  : 
And  Wisdom  gave  her  border : 

And  Love  sent  heavenly  rhyme  : 
And  Ferment  came  with  motion, 

Completing  all  the  plan  : 
And  then  the  Atom- Ocean 

In  Godlike  dances  span. 


KINGS REMORSE.  293 

liings. 

Would' ST  know  how  kings  are  made :  good 
kings  1  mean  ? 
Strong  man  is  taken  in  his  roughness  all: 
Obedience  heaves  her  axe  :  chops  self  down 
clean : 
And  leaves  behind  a  little  infant  small. 
The  oil  of  loving  life  poured  on  its  brow, 
Meets   presently   with   crown    of    light 
above : 
And  then  mankind  of  willing  right  may  bow : 
Obedient  kings  obedient  subjects  prove. 


On  a  bank  of  cinders, 

Cinders  which  are  hearts. 
Where  the  fire  that  hinders 

^lan  of  all  his  parts, — 
Where  the  wicked  fire 

Of  the  lust  of  man 
Smoulders  in  the  pyre, 

Lo !  a  song  began. 


294  IMPROVISATIONS. 

'Twas  a  song  of  weakness, 

Weakness  in  wild  strengths- 
Tossing  arms  of  sickness, 

Bed  of  awful  length  : 
And  the  frame  that  sang  it 

Was  of  chattering  teeth ; 
And  the  bells  that  rang  it. 

Grated  rust  beneath. 


Forth  from  out  the  ashes 

Came  a  shape  of  woe  : 
And  I  heard  the  crashes 

Of  his  footsteps  slow  : 
In  his  hand  a  trumpet 

Of  a  thigh-bone  hollow : 
And  I  saw  him  thump  it 

On  his  choking  swallow. 

Then  he  put  it  mouthwards 

To  his  rusty  teeth, 
And  he  blew  it  southwards, 

And  its  sounds  did  seethe, 
With  a  hissing  burden. 

Like  a  snake  that  moves ; 
And  it  was  the  guerdon 

Of  dead  buried  loves. 


REMORSE.  295 

Imps  ran  from  its  portal, 

From  the  trumps  rust  teeth, 
But  each  imp  was  mortal, 

As  that  trumpet^ s  breath  : 
Issued  forth  full  hnped, 

When  the  breath  began, 
But  a  yard  on,  limped. 

And  then  lost  his  scan. 

Melted  into  poison. 

Fell,  a  drop,  to  earth ; 
And  on  the  horizon. 

Had  a  second  birth  : 
Sprang  a  flower  of  rue 

With  black  gall  for  honey. 
Was  the  floweret  true 

Of  Judas,  his  blood-money. 

So  the  floweret  stood 

Rooted  in  the  land. 
And  its  sap  was  blood 

Poured  forth  under  hand  : 
And  the  angel  guards 

Cut  it  time  by  time. 
For  the  fell  rewards 

Of  the  murderer's  chime. 


296  IMPROVISATIONS. 

In  liis  conscience  planted, 

Gardening  imps  did  set  it ; 
And  the  house  was  haunted, 

When  the  rue- blood  wet  it : 
For  at  evening  hours, 

Darkness  took  fear's  brush, 
And  did  paint  hell's  flowers 

With  their  lurid  blush. 

But  once  upon  a  time. 

On  a  Sunday  morn. 
When  the  church  bell's  chime 

Did  the  air  adorn, 
Came  a  verger  old 

From  the  vestry- door, 
And  his  brow  was  bold 

From  the  better  shore. 

And  he  found  the  rue 

In  a  brother's  heart, 
And  he  did  pursue 

Well  the  Christly  part : 
For  he  took  the  plant 

In  consolation's  grasp, 
And  it  felt  a  want, 

Panting  in  his  clasp. 


KEMOKSE.  297 

And  he  said  a  prayer  : 

Said  a  little  song  : 
(Angels  in  their  air 

All  have  music's  tongue  :) 
^'  Father  of  our  peace, 

Here  is  brother  sad  ! 
Make  his  woes  to  cease : 

Make  his  heart  not  sad.'' 

"  Far  away  in  time 

Lies  the  horrid  day, 
When  he  lived  in  crime, 

And  in  lust  did  play  : 
Yet  the  demon  cords 

Bind  him  to  the  day  : 
And  the  demon  words 

Ever  in  him  play. 

''  Chase  his  inward  foes  : 

Them  of  his  own  house  : 
Let  his  grimmest  w^oes 

Never  more  carouse 
O'er  his  bosom's  board. 

Laughing  through  his  pains : 
Oh !  from  out  thy  Word, 

Pour  repentant  strains." 


298  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Then  the  old  remorse, 

Shook  him  as  it  went : 
Dropt  off  like  a  corse 

With  his  being  blent : 
And  'twas  buried  deep, 

By  the  church  bells  chime, 
In  repentance  keep, 

Now  a  hallowed  clime. 

Then  I  saw  the  cinders 

Of  the  ashy  hearts. 
Where  the  lust  fire  hinders 

All  the  loving  parts, 
Watered  mth  a  dew. 

As  of  music  bells ; 
And  a  pearly  hue 

O'er  the  mountain  steals. 


Water  came  out  first, 

Quenched  the  arid  fire  : 
And  the  dust  that  cursed, 

Wheeling  from  desire. 
Was  allayed  to  soil, 

And  made  mould  for  seed  ; 
And  a  fertile  coil 

Covered  the  fire  greed. 


THE    WORD.  299 

Still  the  heart-hill  throbs  : 

Still  it  hath  old  throes  : 
But  Remorse  not  robs 

Hearts  that  know  their  woes  : 
Penitence  stands  on  : 

Sweetly  gardens  there, 
Fertile  from  the  throne 

Of  the  Lord  of  prayer. 


%  moxh 

"  And  the  house,  when  it  was  in  building,  was  built  of 
stone  made  ready  before  it  was  brought  thither :  so  that 
there  was  neither  hammer,  nor  axe,  nor  any  tool  of  iron, 
heard  in  the  house  while  it  was  in  building." — 1  Kings  vi.  7. 

No  tool  of  iron,  and  no  axe  was  heard, 
Because  the  building  was  the  Holy  Word, 
And  instrument  of  human  iron  never 
In  the  Word's  sense  can  either  bind  or  sever. 


Because  thou  fain  would' st  sing  the  verity 
That  doth  concealed  within  these  precincts 
lie. 


300  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Know  that  the  Word  is  the  sole  house  of 

God, 
And  that  the  world  is  blossom  from  its  rod. 

The  angels  are  the  stones  therein  are  set, 
And  angel  each  in  Mercy's  hand  is  let 
To  seem  support  the  edifice  of  heaven. 
But  'tis  the  Word  within  their  limbs  hath 
striven. 

They  bear  and  they  sustain  the  church  on 

high. 
And  life  above  seems  leant  on  angel  thigh. 
But  all  the  love  that  quickens  life  within 
Is  the  Word's  holy  fire,  or  the  Word's  kin. 

The  generation  of  the  stones  of  life. 

Is  here  with  spirit- sword,  with  iron- strife : 

The  fitting  in  is  silent  as  the  Word, 

Like  Order's  life  in  deep  perceptions  heard. 

So  hew  the  matter  in  the  quarries'  breast. 
And  bring  it  hither  for  the  builder's  quest: 
He  covers  it  with  cedar  and  with  gold ; 
'Tis  in  his  temple  then,  and  in  his  fold. 


MADNESS.  301 


Wandering  lights  I  see, 

Wandering,  flitting  lights : 
Resting  o'er  a  tree 

Full  of  blains  and  blights  : 
'Tis  the  tree  of  sin, 

Stem  of  lust  and  fire  : 
Sap  that  rolls  within 

Is  unclean  desire. 


Wizard  sits  beneath, 

Muttering  crooked  spells : 
In  his  hand  a  wreath 

Of  false  Asphodels : 
On  his  head  a  blaze 

Of  false  Aureole : 
In  his  eye  a  maze 

Of  a  godless  soul. 

Now  he  moves  to  right, 
Where  a  vulture  sits ; 

And  his  eye  is  bright 
With  disordered  wits : 


302  IMPROVISATIONS. 

For  the  vulture^ s  leg 
Hath  he  in  a  chain, 

And  he  eats  the  dreg 
Of  the  vulture's  brain. 

Lo !  the  fever  gains  : 

Vision  flares  and  fumes  : 
Lo!  his  seething  brains 

Put  forth  horrid  blooms. 
Lo !  his  eyes  go  forth, 

Wheeling  fires  in  air, 
And  east,  west  and  north 

Glow  with  bony  stare, 

He  lies  down  to  sleep : 

Cockatrices  come. 
Purring  from  the  deep, 

From  the  demon  home: 
Purring  cats  of  hell. 

Mousing  for  the  mad  : 
They  have  left  their  shell. 

For  a  season  glad. 

And  he  dreams  their  dream ; 

'Tis  a  woven  lie : 
Providence's  stream 

Runneth  from  on  high  : 


MADNESS.  303 


They  do  ride  the  stream : 
They  are  kings  of  God  : 

And  the  sun  world's  gleam 
Issues  from  their  nod. 

And  the  wizard  old 

Is  baptized  in  fire  : 
Power  in  cups  of  gold 

Filleth  his  desire: 
He  doth  swell  with  size, 

Swells  with  glory  given, 
Till  he  fills  the  skies. 

And  is  all  the  heaven. 

Then  he  wakens  up, 

Putting  up  his  hands, 
As  though  he  would  sup 

Drink  from  thirsty  sands  : 
But  his  eyes  are  gone. 

Sailing  o'er  the  world ; 
And  the  vulture  stone 

Sitteth  on  him  furled. 

He  is  eaverned  then. 
Earth  has  got  her  prey ; 

And  afar  from  men 

Wends  head-foremost  way : 


304  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Cleaving  like  a  bolt 

Through  the  solid  dark ; 

Lo  !  a  dismal  jolt : 

He  is  altered! — Hark  ! 

Voices  in  the  dark ! 

Screaming  in  the  gloom: 
Wrestling  horrid- stark 

Far  adown  the  tomb ! 
He  hath  met  his  match: 

He  hath  got  his  wife: 
And  the  twain  shall  scratch 

All  the  walls  of  strife. 

And  now  what  of  him  ? 

What  of  wizard  old  ? 
For  his  tale  is  dim: 

And  His  half  untold. 
He  is  primal  blurr 

Of  the  human  soul : 
And  he  is  its  stir 

From  the  heavenly  goal: 

For  old  magic  ways, 
Crooning  from  old  time, 

Riding  days  and  days, 
Horsed  on  evil's  slime  : 


MADNESS.  305 


Snailing  in  the  rain 

Of  the  ills  of  man, 
Are  the  sinful  gain 

Whence  mad  life  began. 

Wizard,  weird  and  mad. 

Went  to  darkness  first. 
And  the  hour  was  sad 

With  the  cauldron  curst. 
That  did  see  the  pot 

Of  the  wizard  herb ; 
When  poor  man  his  lot 

From  below  would  curb. 

But  the  recreant  time 

Hath  lost  magic  now : 
Yet  the  seed  of  slime 

Steers  the  madness  prow  : 
For  the  child  outlives, 

Though  the  parent  die: 
And  the  moon  still  gives 

Wine  to  lunacy. 

But  the  hour  is  come, 
For  a  second  song: 

Lo !  I  hear  its  hum  : 
Bees  are  in  its  tongue : 


306  IMPROVISATIONS. 

'TIs  industrious  sweet : 
Honey  wed  with  skill : 

There  are  rapid  feet 
On  the  heavenly  hill. 

And  if  thou  wilt  list 

Well  that  honey  tune, 
Soon  thine  ear  shall  hist 

Underneath  the  moon, 
How  the  fairy  dance 

Clears  the  beam  of  woe : 
And  the  madness  trance 

Wakes  to  morning's  glow. 


Reverence  musing  sat 

O'er  a  cedar  board  : 
Ugly  monsters  squat 

Eyed  the  table's  hoard  : 
But  their  eyes  were  cloaked 

With  their  own  ill  mists, 
And  their  throats  were  choked 

With  their  rapine's  fists. 


SANITY.  307 

Sun  and  shade  passed  o'er, 

Checquering  cedar  wood  : 
Gleaming  on  the  store, 

Softening  o'er  the  food  : 
Days  said  speech  to  days, 

As  the  varied  light 
Went  its  changeful  ways 

Through  the  day  and  nighfc. 

But  the  board  at  length, 

Eaten  by  no  man. 
Felt  its  cedar's  strength 

Limited  a  span : 
And  it  bent  its  knee. 

And  it  swerved  its  plane  : 
And  the  meat  of  glee 

Could  no  more  sustain. 


Then  it  gave  a  groan, 

And  it  cracked  and  broke : 
And  the  food  did  own 

Falling's  heavy  yoke : 
Grapes  were  spilled  the  first, 

And  then  figs  were  gone, 
And  the  bottles  burst, 

Waterpots  of  stone. 

x2 


308  IMPROVISATIONS. 

From  the  tablets  wreck, 

Ran  wine's  ruddy  gore : 
There  was  wasteful  fleck 

On  the  lower  shore  : 
But  a  crowd  of  poor, 

Thin  and  hungred  too, 
Peeped  in  at  the  door, 

And  would  not  eschew. 

Down  on  hands  and  knees. 

They  lapped  up  the  wine  ; 
Drank  the  broken  lees  : 

And  the  fat  did  shine, 
On  their  faces  lean, 

With  thanksgivings  light : 
And  their  eyes  were  seen 

With  contentment  dight. 

So  they  lifted  up 

All  the  table's  realm ; 
And  restored  the  cup, 

To  its  former  helm. 
And  the  ship  of  food. 

Once  a  wreck  on  earth, 
Anchored  in  man's  blood, 

And  had  human  birth. 


SANITY.  309 

But  a  man  came  by, 

Hungrier  far  than  they, 
And  they  heard  his  cry. 

On  his  nightly  way  ; 
He  besought  their  aid, 

Nature  to  restore ; 
And  was  faint,  he  said. 

With  great  wandering,  sore. 

So  they  took  him  in, 

Led  him  to  the  cup  : 
Asked  him  of  his  kin, 

But  he  offered  up. 
Prayer  to  Father  his. 

Prayer  to  Father  ours. 
And  the  prayer  was  this 

In  those  morning  hours. 

'  Lord,  thy  life  is  wine  : 

And  thy  love  is  food  : 
Make  our  face  to  shine 

With  thy  heavenly  good. 
Let  us  children  feed 

In  our  hearts  and  lives  ; 
And  oh  !  banish  greed 

Till  thy  reign  arrives  !" 


310  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Then  the  wine  no  more 

Mantled  red  or  bright : 
But  the  festal  store 

Of  the  olden  night, 
Was  created  new, 

And  its  chalice  pure, 
Was  the  morning's  dew 

Shedding  to  endure. 

And  a  realm  arose 

From  that  board  of  man, 
Such  that  mortal  woes 

From  its  precincts  ran  : 
And  the  million  snares 

Of  the  worldly  goal 
Left  to  scatter  tares 

O'er  the  ransomed  soul. 


Soundness  came  at  last, 

Wholeness  in  God's  Word  : 
And  his  mantle  cast 

O'er  the  deep  that  stirred 
Once  with  trouble's  storm. 

Calmed  with  kingly  oil  ; 
And  the  poor  earthworm, 

Was  redeemed  from  moil. 


SANITY.  8  J  1 

So  the  human  board, 

When  the  Lord  is  there, 
Charitably  stored. 

And  approached  with  prayer, 
Keeps  the  creature  sound, 

Routs  the  madness  throng. 
Heals  the  hidden  wound 

That  hath  rankled  long. 

And  communion's  ways 

iVre  the  sward  of  health, 
Where  our  bankrupt  days 

Shall  recover  wealth  ; 
Only  just  find  out 

All  Communion's  plan : 
Madness  hath  his  rout : 

God  is  then  with  man. 

'Tis  the  spirit-board 

Where  health  shall  be  drunk, 
To  brains  sheared  and  scored, 

And  in  madness  slunk  : 
Christ  is  there  to  day  : 

Tis  All- Souls'  day  now  : 
Let  us  ever  pray 

Soundness  for  the  brow. 


312  IMPROVISATIONS. 


Can  it  be  given 
In  stanzas  seven  ? 

Yea,  in  seven  stanzas  it  shall  roll. 

Thou  art  pure  :  but  who  is  pure  enough 
To  inspect  the  first  created  stuff : 
If  the  eye  were  love  in  its  deep  womb, 
Then  a  vision  faint  of  soul  might  come. 

For  it  welleth  from  a  lake  of  fire, 
Just  as  differing  from  our  desire. 
As  the  heaven  doth  differ  from  hot  mud  : 
Or  as  manna's  heaven  from  swinish  food. 

Into  thine  eternal  coffers,  Lord, 
Poureth  first  the  virtue  of  the  Word, 
And  the  light  that  in  that  virtue  lives. 
Souls'  first  nutriment  of  fibril  gives. 

And  the  love  that  with  the  light  hath  way, 
Weaveth  into  mesh  the  fibres'  day, 
And  with  light  and  love  compacted  are 
The  first  globe  of  Mansoul's  solid  star. 


THE  MARK  ON  THE  FOREHEAD.   313 

Then  the  brain  of  Psyche  is  produced  : 
Brain  with  fire  for  ground ;  brain  lightning 

juiced : 
And  the  body  like  a  bolt  is  shot 
Where  the  love  and  light  stream  out  their  plot. 

And  the  limbs  are  powers  of  great  heat, 
Jointed  forth  from  the  soul's  will  complete; 
And  the  toes  are  standing  witnesses 
Of  the  planted  power  that  rules  in  these. 

But  the  eyes  are  most  the  soul's  intent : 
And  the  eye  with  all  the  soul  is  blent : 
For  the  wisdom  with  the  love  within 
Is  the  eye  in  brain  and  life  and  skin. 


^i  Itark  on  tijc  |orc|cait; 

Shades  soon  prevail, 

And  evening's  sail 
Comes  floating  down  the  east : 

The  starlight  pale 

Shimmers  the  gale 
That  wantons  o'er  the  least 


314  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Traces  of  eartli 

That  glimmer  forth 
Amid  the  darksome  shadows. 

The  night's  abroad  : 

The  heaven  is  strawed 
With  clouds  like  silvery  meadows. 

There  comes  a  Fay 

From  far  away, 
From  lands  beyond  the  moon  : 

Her  finger  wet 

AVith  dew,  and  set 
With  jewel  ring  of  noon. 

She  comes  to  her 
Whose  blood  does  stir 

With  strange  and  new  emotion, 
As  moonbeams  dim 
Chant  their  faint  hymn, 

And  stir  the  midnight  ocean. 

She  comes  wdth  finger 

That  long  shall  linger 
In  print  of  fond  affection 

On  Emma's  brow  : 

I'll  tell  thee  how 
The  print  hath  found  direction. 


THE  MARK  ON  THE  FOREHEAD.        315 

^Twas  done  to  shew 

That  those  below 
Are  loved  of  those  above  them  : 

'Twas  done  to  prove 

That  fairy  love 
Extends  to  those  that  love  them. 

A  Fairy  Sister 

Whose  sandals  glister 
With  sun  and  moonbeams  plaited, 

Came  from  her  bower 

In  glorious  flower, 
And  shewed  her  form  belated, 

Within  thy  chamber 

Where  faery  amber 
Was  burning  an  unseen  censer : 

This  is  a  lay 

Ah !  well  a-day, 
It  comes  from  the  shade  of  Spenser. 


316  IMPROVISATIONS. 


When  God  did  make  the  human  hand, 

He  put  within  it 
A  pahn  of  softest  flesh,  to  stand 
In  Love's  relation  to  the  human  band, 

And  with  soft  touch  to  win  it. 

And  he  taught  hands  at  first  to  grasp, 

That  in  the  palm, 
All  the  world's  treasures  they  might  clasp. 

And  pour  them  calm, 

Strong  as  an  organ  psalm, 
Wherever  in  the  world  wise  charity 
Might  shew  that  gift  of  God  might  needed  be. 


f  ittk  f  (r&f  s  %^mnt 

In  the  central  point. 
And  the  pivot  joint. 
With  spirit  most  anoint. 
Little  Love 


LITTLE    LOVERS    THRONE.  317 

Sat  on  silver  throne, 
Central  and  alone, 
Keeping  of  her  own, 

Little  Love. 

In  the  circlet  golden 
Was  her  courtlet  holden, 
As  in  ages  olden  : 

Little  Love : 
From  her  silver  hair, 
Issued  moony  fair 
Wisdom  on  the  air, 

Little  Love : 

And  her  hand  did  hold 
Little  wand  of  gold, 
Of  direction  old, 

Little  Love : 
It  pointed  to  the  world, 
In  its  stem  were  furled 
All  her  quarters  whirled. 

Little  Love. 

'Twas  her  wishing  wand : 
And  it  reached  its  line  beyond 
Lifers  sea  and  matter's  pond  ; 
Little  Love : 


318  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  so  she  knew  the  way 
To  far  Australia, 
And  rode  the  golden  ray, 
Little  Love. 

And  from  her  silver  stool, 
Her  spirit  car  hath  rule. 
O'er  ship  and  horse  and  mule  ; 

Little  Love  : 
The  station  of  her  might. 
And  the  centre  of  her  flight, 
Is  from  silver  wisdom's  light : 

Little  Love. 


fistoit 

Listen  :  my  march  is  o'er. 

I  wandered  on  the  shore. 

And  saw  the  drifting  foam, 

But  never  saw  a  home  : 

A  vessel  on  the  sea 

High  signal  made  to  me ; 

But  I  was  too  distraught, 

And  recked  its  shouts  for  naught. 


LISTOX.  319 

The  sand  beneatli  my  feet 
Was  wastefully  complete  : 
The  sea  mews  round  my  head, 
Wheeling  with  shriekings  dead, 
Dropt  misery  in  my  pouch  : 
My  weary  foot  did  slouch : 
The  waves  kept  tune  of  woe, 
And  through  me  all  did  go. 

Within  the  starry  dome 
I  looked  out  for  a  home : 
Within  the  water's  face 
I  looked  for  an  embrace : 
Within  the  sand  I  looked. 
The  sand  was  cruel  hooked, 
And  fastened  me  to  sand. 
And  then  I  felt  a  brand. 


Wherefore  the  w^ant  of  home  ? 
The  kingdom  now  had  come  : 
And  I  had  died  enough. 
And  still  the  wind  did  sough  : 
Peace  was  as  far  as  ever, 
As  restless  was  life's  river : 
And  heaven  kept  shifting  on, 
And  when  I  came,  was  gone. 


320  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  I  said,  Why  is  this  ? 
Is  there  no  real  bliss  ? 
Is  heaven  a  lantern ^s  magic  ? 
That  throws  a  shadow  tragic, 
Because  untrue,  unreal, 
And  so,  not  even  ideal  ? 
Or  am  I  in  some  error, 
Whose  shadow  is  this  terror  ? 

While  thus  resolving,  lo  ! 
A  distant  starfire's  glow. 
It  was  an  angel  guard. 
That  came  in  swift  reward, 
Wherever  apt  confession 
Called  for  heaven^ s  intercession  : 
And  in  his  hand ;  how  odd ! 
A  blossoming  myrtle  rod. 

And  he  said  :  "  Brother  man ! 
The  streams  of  lightning  ran 
Just  now  with  prayer  of  thine  ; 
And  I  did  mount  its  shrine, 
And  come  to  bear  thee  hence. 
For  God's  good  providence. 
Hath  built  a  little  mansion, 
Suited  to  thine  expansion. '* 


LISTON.  321 

So  on  we  walked  air-walk, 

And  ceasing  then  to  talk, 

I  went  as  in  a  dream 

Upon  a  car-like  beam, 

And  marked  the  colored  foam 

That  fringed  my  pathway  home : 

'Twas  as  if  kindest  friends 

Had  wreathed  round  all  mine  ends. 

The  home  was  not  so  stately  ! 
Its  face,  though,  won  me  greatly  : 
For  peace  sent  rays  therefrom, 
And  a  neat  rainbow  dome, 
Gave  me  some  light  I  wanted : 
I  found  the  house  was  haunted 
With  all  my  wishes  good, 
In  the  walls  understood. 

A  mirror  on  the  lawn 
Painted  again  a  fawn 
Such  as  I  knew  on  earth ; 
But  here  it  was  a  birth 
Of  innocent  delight. 
Seeing  itself  at  night, 
AVhen  sweet  reflexion's  ray, 
Prepareth  for  next  day. 


322  IMPROVISATIONS, 

A  wife  upon  the  step 
Made  heart  to  leap  and  leap ; 
I'd  seen  her  ne'er  before, 
Yet  knew  her  from  first  yore  : 
She  was  my  wife,  and  she 
Was  my  Lord's  ministry  : 
She  was  and  she  was  not : 
Mine  eyes  became  a  blot. 

I  never  heard  her  speak, 
Or  breathing  silence  break, 
Until  upon  my  neck, 
I  felt  a  conscious  reck. 
And  knew  that  two  were  one. 
And  that  life's  precious  stone 
Is  marriage  in  His  heaven ; 
Fire-marriage  one  and  seven ! 

She  led  me  then  indoors, 

And  lo  !  upon  the  floors 

Was  glass  of  amber  light, 

With  cherub  faces  dight. 

Such  as  portrayed  heaven's  spheres. 

And  heaven's  most  pitying  tears. 

And  did  communicate 

With  all  heaven's  pity- state. 


LISTON.  323 

We  sat  us  down  the  next : 
And,  sovereign  unperplext, 
I  had  the  bliss  of  heart, 
That  hath  the  mystic  part ; 
And  saw  in  dream  a  land 
That  lived  beyond  command, 
Upon  a  tower  top  where 
One  angel  stood  in  prayer. 

With  him  I  seemed  to  stand  : 
And  then  we  were  a  band  : 
And  then  w^e  were  a  nation : 
And  this  was  preparation  : 
Germ  of  a  little  heaven  : 
Child  of  a  little  leaven  : 
And  time  and  change,  he  said, 
Were  numbered  with  the  dead. 

The  morning  dawned  :  I  stood 
Again  in  Error's  hood  : 
My  very  house  was  gone  : 
My  wife,  my  comer- stone  : 
I  had  been  only  shewn 
Things  that  were  not  mine  own  : 
And  now  upon  the  sand. 
Blessing  again  was  banned. 

Y  2 


324  IMPROVISATIONS, 

Next  night,  (for  night  and  day 
Have  in  all  spheres  some  play,) 
A  woman  angel  came, 
And  in  a  dream  of  flame, 
Wrapt  roses  round  my  head, 
And  when  the  leaves  were  dead, 
Shook  drops  restorative. 
So  they  again  did  live. 

Now  she  has  gone  again  : 
And  still  I  pace  my  bane  : 
My  cruel  sand  :  my  knife 
In  daytime  is  my  wife  ; 
But  in  the  blessed  sleep 
That  o'er  my  brow  doth  weep, 
I  have  another  wife, 
And  she  is  all  my  life. 

And  sand  and  knife  one  day 
Shall  pass  them  quite  away  : 
For  I  have  promise  heard 
Within  my  being's  word, 
That  He,  my  Lord  and  God, 
Hath  seen  me  in  the  sod. 
And  will  at  my  last  day, 
Raise  me  from  sand,  knife,  clay. 


THE    YOUNG    ARTIST.  325 


^t  fffttng  Artist. 

Strong  is  thine  arm,  my  brother ; 

It  stands  and  works, 
And  in  its  might  would  smother 

A  crowd  of  Turks 

That  still  in  lazy  idlesse  lurks. 

Go  on,  improve  thy  muscles, 

And  string  thy  nerves  ; 
Prepare  thy  soul  for  tussles  ; 

And  learn  the  curves, 
And  learn  the  quirks  of  this  world^s  bustles. 

Learn  not  the  vice,  my  brother  ; 

That's  not  to  learn  ; 
That  vice  would  easy  smother 

Thy  thoughts  that  burn. 

And  turn  thy  youth  of  joy  to  sorrow's  urn. 

Sit  at  thy  desk  composed  ; 

The  spirit  fire 
Is  not  put  out  when  spirit  work  is  closed  ; 

The  mortal  gyre 
Well  passed  through,  makes  the  spirit 

higher. 


326  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Art  is  the  word,  my  brother, 

For  all  the  life : 
The  artists  make  a  pother 

To  cut  the  strife, 

And  they  cut  Art  down  with  the  selfsame 
knife. 

Evening  of  peace  and  love, 

After  day's  crowd, 
Is  the  best  canvass  for  art's  dove 
To  paint  its  whiteness  settling  from  above 

With  pinions  never  loud, 

God  Cometh  after  work  : 

His  pencil  guideth : 
He  stills  the  day-hour's  irk  : 

His  beauty  rideth. 

And  in  the  heaven's  calm  sky  abideth. 


His  are  the  landscapes  fine 

Of  new  creation  ; 
He  paints  with  oil  and  wine 

Imagination, 

And  gives  through  thee  Art's  first  rege- 
neration. 


THE    FIRST    DAY.  327 

His  IS  the  sea  and  land, 

Christ's  Church  of  glory  ; 
Round  Him  alone  the  band 

Of  arts  and  songs  tell  story 
Of  use  and  beauty  true  and  grand. 

This  is  thy  mission,  brother, 

To  work  to-day  : 
To-night  thy  mission  other 

Doth  lie  in  spirit  play, 

But  be  thy  Lord  the  first  with  thy  right 
hand  alway. 


^t  lirst  iag. 

"The  evening  and  the  morning  were  the  first  day."— 
Genesis. 

For  the  day  there  is  joy, 

But  the  night  is  more  coy. 
And  lends  her  great  gifts  but  for  seeking  ; 

The  stars  in  her  sky 

Are  silver  and  high. 
And  the  moon  through   her  darkness   is 
breaking. 


328  IMPROVISATIONS. 

So  is  it  ^vith  man, 

The  term  of  his  span 
Is  rounded  with  night  of  the  spirit, 

And  the  stars  of  his  hope 

So  far  away  ope  ! 
The  stars  we  are  meant  to  inherit. 


So  is  it  with  thee  ; 

Thou  art  joyous  and  free, 
Thy  night  is  well  blazoned  with  lustres  ; 

The  rays  of  thy  moon 

In  her  silvery  shoon 
Are  white  ;  and  thy  spirit, — it  musters 

The  bands  of  the  fays 

From  the  light  of  far  days, 
To  dance  on  the  turf  of  the  present ; 

Thy  home  is  a  world, 

And  thy  spirit  is  twirled 
Through  the  good,  and  the  bad,  and  the 
pleasant. 

But  I  cannot  tell 
Why  thou  lovest  so  well 
At  even  to  gaze  on  the  sky ; 


THE    FIRST    DAY.  329 

For  its  light  is  profound, 
And  it  spurnetli  the  ground, 
And  its  star-roof  is  high,  very  high. 

Thy  husband  perchance 

Thou  wilt  lead  in  thy  dance. 
And  take  through  the  steps  of  thy  mazes  : 

He  knows  very  well 

That  thy  bosom  doth  swell 
In  thy  deeps  with  the  song  of  his  praises. 

I  see  it  is  right 

That  thou  lovest  the  night, 
And  the  startime,  and  moontime  as  well, 

'Tis  the  new  element 

Through  his  bosom  that's  sent 
That  rightly  commandeth  the  spell. 

For  faith -light  with  him 

Hath  been  hitherto  dim, 
And  the  moon  is  thy  sun  for  his  sake ; 

That  from  tiniest  light, 

He  may  grow  to  be  bright. 
And  the  fetters  of  night  he  may  break. 

And  so  starry  twinkles 
And  light's  tiny  wrinkles 


330  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Are  cherished  like  gems  in  thy  bosom  : 
That  gathered  in  day, 
For  the  sun  they  may  play, 

And  the  light-bud  may  come  into  blossom. 

'Tis  of  God  it  is  so. 

For  in  eldermost  woe 
Of  pang  and  of  throb  of  creation  ; 

The  evening  came  first. 

And  the  morning  was  nurst 
In  the  arms  of  the  evening's  probation. 


Now  cometh  thy  dawn ; 

Thy  man  on  the  lawn 
Is  up  before  sunrise  this  morning ; 

The  lark  is  on  high 

Just  surveying  the  sky. 
And  giving  the  earth  the  sun^s  warning. 

He  catches  the  song  ; 

It  did  not  belong 
To  the  hours  of  his  former  surrounding : 

He  claspeth  his  hands. 

And  out  from  time's  sands 
Runs  the  river  of  morning  abounding. 


LITTLE    LOVE.  331 

'Tis  his  river  of  prayer 

Which  toucheth  the  air, 
And  the  earth  takes  the  hue  of  its  lightness  ; 

As  it  endeth  in  praise, 

The  sun  hath  his  rays, 
And  "  Amen"  is  the  rise  of  his  brightness. 

The  walk  at  an  end, 

The  father  and  friend 
Brings  in  the  new  day  to  the  house  ; 

Like  a  flower  in  his  hand. 

It  illumines  his  band. 
And  that  is  the  day  for  his  spouse. 


f  ittlc  f  otc. 

Little  Love,  faithful  friend, 

Round  about  thy  pathway  wend 
Blooms  of  odorous  rejoicing  : 

Stars  bespangle  all  thy  going  ; 

And  thy  non-apparent  shewing 
Harps  of  fays  more  tiny  still  are  voicing. 


332  IMPROVISATIONS. 

For  thou  art  more  than  sister 

To  Emma  dear  ;  hast  kist  her 
With  a  heart  of  intimate  delight : 

She  so  great  to  thee  in  shape  and  guise, 

Hath  been  minished  in  thy  little  eyes, 
Till  she  dances  with  thee  in  the  night. 

So  God's  love  abounding, 

And  through  all  deeps  sounding, 

Lights  thy  life  with  littleness  sublime. 
Small  as  heaven's  still  voices  round  thee. 
Sisters   infinite   of  light   have  crowned 
thee, — 

Tiows  of  rays  of  life  from  heaven  to  time. 

What  a  bright  procession  : 

God's  own  intercession 
Loops  and  links  them  into  shafts  of  glory  : 

Spiral  columns  they 

Of  double,  treble  day, 
To  grand  fa9ade  of  creation's  story. 

Thy  coming  is  a  wonder  : 
Lightning  without  its  thunder. 
Or  lightning  without  clouds  save   music 
peals  : 


LITTLE    LOVE.  333 

Thy  winged  pearliness 
Comes  for  unseen  caress, 
And  o'er  the  cheek  its  loving  mantle  steals. 

Thou  sittest  on  her  shoulder  ; 

Her  heart-health  waxes  bolder  ; 
Thy  songs  are  in  her  blood  as  winds  in 
groves  : 

And  she  shall  sing  like  thee, 

When  filled  with  song,  and  free 
To  sing  the  anthem  that  her  spirit  loves. 

'Tis  what  thou  dost  for  us 

That  we  can  tell  of,  thus 
We  say  thou  art  our  friend,  our  fairy  sister  : 

But  what  thou  art  thyself, 

Passeth  our  hearts  of  pelf, 
And  all  away  from  us  thy  life  doth  glister. 

Fine  providential  ray  ; 

Angel  of  elder  day  ; 
Spirit  and  organ  of  God's  great  intention  : 

He  made  thee,  not  to  fail. 

Though  worlds  and  suns  grow  pale. 
And  though  the  moon  forget  his  name  to 
mention. 


334  IMPROVISATIONS. 

So  is  his  chosen  seed 

For  ever  put  past  need, 
Though  on  no  earth  its  tiny  want  be  planted : 

And  so  creation's  dreams 

Are  peopled  with  thy  beams, 
And  night's  soul's  soul  is  with  thine  ink- 
ling haunted. 

But  now,  dear  sister  mine, 

The  spirit  hands  thee  wine. 
Whose  odor  yet  perchance  may  touch  thy 
sense  : 

'Tis  in  a  cup  of  air ; 

The  stem  of  ether  rare ; 
And  spirit  is  the  page  that  bears  it  hence. 

Oh  !  sip  it  for  our  sakes  : 

See,  in  our  hand  it  breaks 
Into  small  foam  with  light  drops  hid  between : 

Thou  hast  then  stirred  the  pool 

With  thine  own  golden  rule. 
And  so  thy  heaven  is  here,  and  faery  sheen. 

'Tis  of  our  large,  gross  truth  ; 
And  so  indeed,  in  sooth, 
'Tis  dear  to  thee  because  to  sister  good  : 


i 


LITTLE    LOVE.  335 

And  in  its  deepest  part, 
It  hath  the  heavenly  smart, 
And  runneth  ruddy  with  a  Saviour '^s  blood. 

Did  He  then  die  for  thee, 

Upon  the  earthly  tree '? 
And  did  He  rise  for  thee  thro'  heavenly  sun  ? 

And  is  the  race  of  fays 

Redeemed  by  the  praise 
That  his  right  arm  from  conquered  mid- 
night won  ? 

They  tell  me  it  is  so  : 

The  golden  clarions  blow  : 
The  land  leaps  up  ;  the  sea  w^ithin  his  keep  : 

Redemption's  universe 

Through  small  and  great  doth  pierce ; 
And  for  thy  Lord,  deep  calleth  unto  deep. 


336  IMPROVISATIONS. 


A  DAY  of  joy 

For  man  and  boy 
Comes  once  a  year  to  all  men  : 

A  day  of  pearl 

To  every  girl, 
To  great  men  and  to  small  men. 

The  day  of  birth 

On  mortal  earth 
Is  aye  a  day  of  wonder : 

A  day  that  lifts 

To  God  for  gifts 
Of  lightning,  rain  and  thunder  : 

Of  joy  and  woe, 

Of  measures  slow 
Of  poesy  and  healing, 

Of  dances  quick, 

Of  fancies  thick, 
Of  jolly  bells  a  pealing. 

For  then  we  came 
Through  nature's  flame, 


r 


M.  J.  w.  337 

Led  by  God's  hand  to  mortals. 

We  entered  far 

Beyond  each  star 
Creation's  wondrous  portals. 

Birth  lived  in  us, 

And  ever  thus 
The  great  God  holds  our  stepping : 

Our  life  and  death 

And  hourly  breath 
Are  in  his  mighty  keeping. 

Then  aye  remember 

That  all  life's  ember 
Is  fire  of  God's  great  giving. 

That  coals  of  fire 

And  sweet  desire, 
Of  loving  and  of  living 

Come  down  from  Him 

Whose  footstep  dim 
Our  eyes  can  hardly  ponder ; 

Yet  we  may  know 

His  power  below 
In  eyes  of  mystic  wonder. 

z 


338  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Now  Mary  dear, 

Thy  day  is  here, 
Pause  well  and  list  its  meaning, 

'Tis  washing  day. 

For  thee  to  pray 
For  thy  soul's  holy  cleaning. 

Cast  angers  out, 

And  little  doubt 
That  would  thy  young  mind  darken, 

To  parents'  word 

Be  thy  heart  stirred. 
And  to  thy  Bible  hearken. 

For  God  thy  Father 

Would  chiefly  gather 
Thy  heart  around  his  altar. 

So  go  on  well, 

Learn  truth  to  spell, 
And  thou  shalt  never  falter 

Whate'er  betide ; 

But  hate  and  pride 
Shall  flee  thy  lamblike  nature ; 

And  Christ  shall  come 

And  fix  His  home 
Within  His  new-born  creature. 


M.  J.  w.  339 

Love  sisters  well : 

And  brother's  bell 
Of  gladness  be  thy  pleasure. 

Think  all  things  o'er  ; 

Love  goodly  store  : 
But  love  in  prudent  measure. 

And  friends  also, 

In  joy  and  woe* 
Be  constant  friends  around  thee  ; 

And  servants  too ; 

And  nothing  do 
That  afterward  will  wound  thee. 

Love  all  mankind 

With  tempered  mind  ; 
Love  Christ  in  all  his  sayings : 

Do  good  around, 

In  truth  abound. 
And  good  shall  be  thy  rayings. 

For  good  we  do. 

And  good  we  trow, 
Return  in  blessed  fountains. 

God  puts  thy  feet 

This  day,  my  sweet, 
On  spirit's  newest  mountains, 
z  2 


340  IMPKOVISATIONS. 


'Tis  time  to  sing 

A  votive  ring 
Of  verse  to  thee,  my  Muse  : 

A  spirit  lay, 

That  lies  to  day 
And  still  my  pathway  strews 

With  flower  and  bell, 

And  mystic  spell 
Of  fragrant  memory's  leaves  : 

Bright  hopes  beyond, 

And  fancy's  wand 
That  loveliest  dreamlets  weaves. 

There  are  no  flowers 

In  mortal  bowers 
Like  those  thy  vision  seeth  : 

There  is  no  flight 

Of  sunniest  light 
That  half  so  deftly  fleeth 

O'er  glade  and  grass. 
O'er  verdant  mass, 


E.    M.    X.  341 

O'er  woodland  brown  and  tawny, 

O'er  silver  stream, 

O'er  ocean  gleam, 
O'er  parkland  trim  and  lawny, — 

That's  half  so  fleet. 

Or  half  so  sweet. 
As  fairy  land  around  thee  : 

Then  hail,  fay  friend, 

I  see  thine  end. 
The  fairv  race  hath  crowned  thee. 


Thou  art  their  maid  : 
Thou  art  the  braid 

That  binds  their  ways  to  men : 
They  send  thee  here : 
They  make  thee  clear. 

That  thou  may'st  bring  to  ken 

The  land  where  small 

Is  great  and  all. 
The  land  where  God  is  living : 

The  Atom  Land 

For  ever  banned 
To  lying  and  deceiving. 


342  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Where  trutli  past  hell 

Doth  ever  dwell ; 
Where  truth  past  heaven  is  guarded : 

Where  seeds  of  things 

First  have  their  wings, 
And  lifers  great  love  is  hoarded. 

That  land  is  thine, 

A  faery  mine. 
Gold  less  than  ether^s  fineness  : 

Let  not  a  ray 

From  that  land  stray, 
Uncaught  by  thy  supineness. 

For  earth  awaits 

The  faery  fates ; 
They  too  shall  lead  its  dances  : 

Then  hail  the  child 

Who's  reconciled 
To  fays  and  spirit  trances. 

No  gleam  that's  tost 

Shall  e'er  be  lost : 
All  lustrous  grains  are  lasting. 

Come  on  w^ith  me. 

Accept  thy  glee. 
Thine  elfin  dance  is  hasting. 


AMEN.  343 


Chosen  the  theme  by  spirit- voice : 
It  doth  along  the  way  rejoice 
"Where  man  his  jom-ney  hath  to  take, 
If  he  would  evil  ways  forsake. 

Amen,  amen,  amen,  amen : 
It  is  the  first  of  spirit- ken  : 
And  His  the  last  of  spirit- prayer : 
The  burden  of  the  heavenly  air. 

The  angels  when  their  heads  are  bowed, 
And  they,  received  within  the  cloud. 
Cry  out  with  heart  and  voice  the  Word 
That  still  in  prayer  is  ever  heard. 

And  on  the  shore  of  higher  heaven, 
AVhen  the  soul  lands  among  the  seven, 
The  glory  meeting  every  face 
Hath  blest  Amen  in  its  embrace. 

And  so  among  the  blessed  stars, 
Amen  hath  many  scimitars, 
And  it  stands  forth  with  robe  of  light. 
And  treads  upon  the  king  of  night. 


344  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  every  day  that  mortals  groan/ 
Amen  must  go  up  to  the  throne : 
And  then  the  grief  hath  joy  for  gift, 
And  glory  shineth  through  the  rift. 

Amen,  amen,  amen,  amen. 
Come  down,  dear  Lord,  to  earth  again: 
And  still  the  gloom  that  swells  and  roars 
Like  lion  round  Thy  mercy's  shores. 

And  then  the  prayer  can  ended  be. 
That  flowed  like  dawn  of  grace  from  Thee : 
Our  Father  who  art  in  the  heaven : 
Amen,  amen,  to  us  be  given. 


Violets  at  even 

Shut  their  eyes ; 

Thinking  most  of  heaven 
When  heaven's  dyes 
Are  night's  prize. 


LITTLE    EVENING    MESSAGE.  345 

So  it  is  with  thee 

When  thy  heart, 
Set  by  spirit  free, 

Sits  apart 

From  world's  mart. 


Thou  dost  live  afresh, 
In  thy  dreams : 

Mounting  over  flesh, 
Heavenly  beams 
Gild  thy  streams. 


God  is  very  near 
To  thee  then : 

And  mirrored  in  the  tear 
Shed  for  men, 
Comes  to  ken. 


So  the  day  gives 
Light  for  duty : 

And  the  night  lives 
From  day's  booty. 
In  love's  beauty. 


346  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  nights  more  holy- 
Wait  thy  sense  : 

To  the  lowly, 

How  immense, 
Providence ! 


%  fEg  oi  WorlMg  mint 

Q.  How  shall  the  song  disparted  be  ? 
A.  It  shall  roam  in  Cantos  three. 
Q.  And  what  is  the  Canto  prime? 
A.  It  is  drunkenness :  his  rhyme. 
Q.  And  what  is  the  second  verse  ? 
A.  It  is  drunkenness  :  her  curse. 
Q.  And  what  is  the  third  of  song  ? 
A.  It  is  drunkenness  :  its  thong. 


DRUNKENNESS  :    HIS  RHYME. 

Under  the  table  there !  holloa ! 
Over  the  stars  !  quick  bottle,  go  ! 
Empty  and  full,  empty  and  full : 
Brains  of  drunkards  bright  and  dull. 

It  is  the  lay  of  lightest  care : 
Emptiness  broodeth  greatly  there : 


THE  LAY  OF  WORLDLY  WINE.  347 

Esculent  roots  for  pigs  and  hogs : 
Fancy  and  smells  for  roaming  dogs. 

Ah  !  but  the  drunkard's  eyes  are  red  : 
Ah  !  but  his  hand  is  in  shaking  shed  : 
Ah  !  but  his  nose  is  buttoned  up  : 
Ah !  but  his  mouth  is  reeking  cup. 

Well- a- day  then,  and  what  of  that  ? 
Newts  are  long,  and  toads  are  squat : 
Drunkards  are  good  of  their  own  kind, 
Come  into  classification's  rind. 

They  can't  help  it,  for  they  like  it : 
They  hold  fun's  flag,  and  never  strike  it; 
Gallant  and  free,  good  gentlemen, 
Let  them  into  their  proper  fen. 

Let  them  sing,  and  let  them  reel : 
Sliders  they  without  orange  peel : 
First  slide  their  brains,  and  their  consciences 
Slip  fast  and  loose  from  their  slippery  knees. 

They  are  of  a  genus  by  themselves : 
And  they  live  in  the  world  on  their  proper 
shelves : 


348  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  out  of  all  sight  and  mind  they  dwell, 
Fast  tethered  down  to  the  goblet's  spell. 

The  world  is  their  pantry  and  cellar  of  drink : 
And  they  stand  by  the  wave,  and  leer  on 

the  brink : 
And  sentimental- nosed,  they  wink  : 
And  with  their  whole  bodies  they  seem  to 

think. 

The  world  shall  be  carved  out  for  their  plan : 
And  the  ways  be  made  soft,  and  laid  with 

bran : 
That  our  second  parents  in  falling  down. 
May  not  hurt  life  or  limb,  little  finger,  or 

crown. 

Polity  too  should  all  be  construct, 

That  the  state  should  exist  for  their  own 

usufruct : 
And  then  perchance  in  the  drunken  way. 
The  world  would  roll  on  to  alack-a-day. 

This  is  the  hip,  hip,  hurrah  of  sin. 

Where  drunkenness  proffers  his  bloated  skin. 


THE  LAY  OF  WORLDLY  WINE.         341) 

11. 

DRUNKENNESS  :    HER  CURSE. 

Wanton  ways  are  wilful  ways ; 
So  they  lead  to  evil  days : 
As  thou  now  shalt  hear  full  soon : 
Cast  thine  eye  up  to  the  moon. 

See  within  her  shadow-rim, 
AVhere  a  beaded  boat  doth  swim : 
^Tis  a  living  boat,  and  there 
Whispereth  an  infant's  prayer. 

Down  to  earth  that  prayer  is  sailing  : 
Meteor-light  around  it  trailing : 
'Tis  an  arrow  bright  and  fast ; 
Sparkles  from  its  plume  are  cast. 

Shaft  of  sorrow,  on  it  speedeth  : 
Comes  to  one  that  never  heedeth : 
To  a  man  immersed  in  wine. 
Whose  poor  eye  glooms  glassy  shine. 

'Tis  a  heaven  of  innocence 

That  hath  sent  a  shaft  from  thence ; 


350  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  it  falls  in  swamp  of  soul, 
And  it  hath  no  real  goal. 

'Tis  a  child  where  lunacy 
Came  from  out  a  drunkard's  sty ; 
And  the  little  angel  thing 
Flutters  with  a  broken  wing. 

'Tis  the  drunkard's  soul  indeed, 
Banished  to  the  moon ;  his  seed 
Shed  to  madness,  pouring  down 
Curses  on  his  distant  crown. 

And  the  distance  is  so  great 
'Twixt  him  and  his  real  state. 
That  his  soul  is  in  the  moon. 
And  his  brains  are  in  his  shoon. 

So  he's  absent  from  all  good  : 
Million  miles  from  heavenly  food : 
Absence  vast :  oh !  Tantalus 
Never  was  tormented  thus. 

See  I  they  meet :  dire  agony  • 
See  the  drunken  vassal  cry : 
See  him  weep  drunk  body's  tears : 
See  drunk  mind  in  jolly  jeers. 


THE  LAY  OF  WORLDLY  WINE.  351 

This  his  lot :  to  be  distract : 
Spongy,  porous,  incompact : 
Straddling,  goggling :  soul  wide-legged : 
Vinous  belly  water- kegged. 

Let  him  pass  :  allow  him  way : 
Giye  him  payement  for  his  play : 
Pray  ayoid  him :  lest  break  up 
Come  within  thy  bodies'  cup. 

Being  spacious,  as  he  is. 
Full  of  rooms  deserted ;  his 
To  house  ghosts  of  eyery  kind, 
And  giye  passage  free  to  wind. 

Leaye  him  now  a  little  while  : 
See  he  topples  on  death's  stile. 


III. 

DRUNKENNESS  :    ITS    THO'NG. 

In  the  world  whereto  thou  goest. 
Sooner  may  be  than  thou  trowest, 
Doth  intemperance  abound : 
Born  from  eyil's  jaw  profound. 


352  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Drunkards'  spirits  first  are  sent 
Into  vats  of  merriment, 
Where  the  filling  goes  on  bravely, 
And  the  master's  eye  sits  gravely. 

Then  the  second  stage  is  seen : 
Other  creatures  come  between  : 
Imps  of  large  proportioned  limb, 
Stand  around  with  flagons  grim. 

Into  these  the  drunkard's  head 
Fitteth  as  its  proper  shed  : 
And  his  eyes,  no  longer  red. 
Take  a  casement  of  hot  lead. 

For  the  goblet  is  so  hot. 
That  it  is  a  fluid  pot, 
Held  in  keeping  by  the  laws 
Of  the  drunkard's  sticky  flaws. 

Then  his  sight  is  gone  indeed : 
And  his  hearing's  anxious  heed 
Is  filled  up  into  his  head, 
By  the  quick- intruding  lead. 

After  this  he  roams  about ; 
And  his  nose  is  but  a  spout : 


THE  LAY  OF  WORLDLY  WINE.  353 

.  And  his  mouth  is  mouth  of  pot ; 
And  his  taste  and  tongue  are  not. 

Purple- veined  his  body  strives  : 
Then  he  graspeth  airy  knives, 
To  tear  off  his  roof  of  fate, 
And  unroll  his  leaden  pate. 

But  in  vain ;  and  so  at  length, 
Shed  and  sunk,  withouten  strength. 
He  is  but  a  demon  bottle. 
And  they  pour  gall  down  his  throttle. 

And  his  use  is  sad  indeed : 
Tis  to  check  the  devil's  greed : 
For  he  scares  the  very  imps, 
Wheresoe'er  his  bottle  limps. 

And  a  thousand  years  away. 
He  doth  stand  on  devil's  tray. 
And  decanted  poison- wine. 
Is  the  blood  of  all  his  shrine. 

So  be  wise  :  for  spirit-life 
Is  a  marvel  of  great  strife,     ^ 
If  the  earth  confirm  the  bad. 
And  the  doom  lie  with  the  sad. 


354  IMPROVISATIONS. 


You  are  washen  white, 
Lambs  of  mine  : 

In  the  mother's  light, 
Clean  ye  shine. 
Lambs  of  mine. 


Ever  thus  prepare 

Spirit- whiteness : 

Tis  a  skin  that's  rare 

For  its  brightness, 
And  its  lightness. 

For  the  spirit- skin 

Is  white  from  good : 

But  the  spots  of  sin 

Splash  the  hood 
With  spirit- mud. 

Then  is  need  of  washing  : 
Spirit- rince  : 

Sorrow's  water  dashing 
Penitence 
O'er  the  sense. 


HAVE    FAITH.  355 

And  of  oft-ablution : 

Evil  chid  : 
Shunning  of  pollution : 

Virtue  hid 

'Neath  faith's  lid. 


So  mind  washing  :  but 

No  more  such  spot : 

Or  spirit- washing  will  but  put 
Deep  in  the  blot, 
And  scour  it  not. 


fak  laitlj. 

Have  faith, — that  wins 
The  cro^Ti  of  life. 
And  works  wdth  arm 
Of  joyous  strength  : 
The  great  world  spins, 
Devoid  of  strife, 
And  heavenly  warm 
Through  all  her  length, 

a  A  2 


p~~ 


356  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Of  golden  days, 
And  nights  of  rest, 
And  peaceful  seas 
Of  Providence : 
For  all  her  ways 
By  faith  are  blest, 
And  love's  great  ease 
Is  in  her  sense. 


Lord,  teach  my  lips  what  song 
Doth  to  this  night  belong? 

Thou  mayest  of  the  Vala  -vrrite  : 
Music  from  the  Northern  night : 
Fitful-wild^  yet  function-full, 
Where  mankind  is  cold  and  dull. 

What  the  name  and  what  the  theme 
Of  the  Vala's  modem  dream  ? — 

It  shall  he  of  Balder  s  home 
In  his  newer  halidome. 
And  the  name  of  it  we  trow 
Is  The  Second  Voluspd. 

And  may  the  theme  extend  to  much  ? 
Or  doth  this  night  complete  its  touch  ? 

Perchance  this  night  the  web  shall  spin : 
Perchance  the  web  shall  but  begin. 
Let  faith  and  love  be  guides  therein. 


THE    SECOND    VOLUSPA.  357 


Balder's  burden : 
Breaking  ages  ; 
Morn  from  moonlight 
Marching  southward. 
Time  doth  tremble : 
Tree  of  lifetime  : 
For  the  good  days 
Gather  slowly. 

Odin  earthward 
Emptied  life-horn : 
Died  on  Doomday, 
Death  of  heroes. 
Valhall  vanquished 
Vanished  sorely, 
In  the  Surtur 
Serpents'  firefolds. 

Twas  told  Balder 
In  hell's  torchlight, — 
Gods  of  grimness 
Gone  to  doomsmoke. 
He  lay  dreaming 
Doleful  night-times, 


358  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  with  Nanna 
Nursed  old  lovedays. 

Through  his  slumbers 
Stole  wild  shakings 
As  of  battle, 
Bellowing,  roaring : 
Hela  heard  them. 
Hard  they  smote  her ; 
And  her  gateways 
Groaned  in  sunder. 

From  the  conflict 
Came  the  doomspark 
That  lit  lustre, 
Life's  arising, 
In  the  dark- realm 
Where  the  damned  world 
Drank  the  dismal 
Doomworld's  waters. 

But  now  Balder 
Broke  the  softness 
Of  the  evil's 
Earth- hold  weary : 
And  the  Peaceful 
Purged  his  death-blow, 


THE    SECOND    VOLUSPA.  359 

And  his  golden 
Gear  grew  round  him. 

And  his  sword- edge 
Seemed  to  sharpen, 
While  he  clove  through 
Hela's  curtains  : 
And  the  night- world 
Opened  night- wise, 
As  when  sunbeams 
Smite  the  darkness. 

And  the  White  God 
Waved  his  standards 
In  the  air  of 
Upper  morning : 
And  the  morning 
Moved  to  meet  him, 
From  new  sun- world, 
Surtur's  slaughter. 

Then  came  all  the 
Upper  God-powers; 
Balder  sat  then 
Beaming  gladness : 
And  the  glory 
Going  forth  there. 


360  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Wrapped  the  realm  of 
Earth  in  richness. 


So  Tvhen  Yalhall 
Veered  to  doomsday, 
Pearl  of  Godhead 
Plucked  from  Hela, 
Met  Forseti : 
]\Iingled  mildly, 
Coiincirs  courage  : 
New  creation. 


I  see  further : 
Fatal  curtains 
Drawn  asunder. 
Doom  is  shewn  me. 


Ages  open : 
Time  is  even  : 
Balder  bringeth 
Beam  of  life- world. 
He  is  coming, 
Crving  dearly, 
*'  Light  for  mortals, 
Loometh  northwards." 


I 


THE    SECOND    VOLUSPA.  361 

Who  the  Hero  ? 
Who  the  harvest- 
Seeker,  shoreward, 
On  the  Sea- land  ? 
It  is  even 
As  the  morning 
Comes  unclouded, 
Inkling  noonday. 

And  Forseti, 
Far  in  wonder, 
God  of  deepness. 
Deep  of  justice. 
Renders  rigor 
Rare  of  truth  word 
To  the  newness 
Nooning  in  him. 

So  they  ponder 
Past  their  godhood, — 
Where  is  time  gone  ? 
Tameness  emptied? 
For  the  newness 
Nooning  in  them 
Carries  godhood 
Greatly  outwards. 


362  IMPROVISATIONS. 

So  they  find  out, 
Far  beyond  them, 
Light  above  them, 
Living,  breaking: 
And  their  god- hearts 
Go  and  wander 
In  the  newness 
Nooning  round  them. 

And  they  render 
Ripe  obeisance 
To  the  Unknown 
Author's  light-love : 
And  within  that 
World  of  newness, 
Lo  a  dwarf- world 
Dwindling  near  them. 

It  was  mankind, 
Munching  chestnuts. 
Fearing  love- world. 
Light  beshivering : 
And  the  dwarf- world, 
Dark  and  drear- world. 
Yet  was  their  world. 
Yea,  was  Balder' s. 


THE    SECOND    VOLUSPA,  363 

And  then  saw  they, 
Sure  and  certain, 
Why  the  Valhall, 
Vanished  surely  ; 
For  the  mankind. 
Munching  chestnuts, 
Were  the  rootlets 
Of  the  wrong- world. 

Old  Yggdrasill, 
Earth  and  sky-tree. 
Had  in  Hela 
Hold  and  fastness ; 
But  in  mankind, 
Munching  chestnuts, 
Stood  its  sap-life 
Sure  and  certain. 

So  they  looked  up 
To  the  light  veil. 
And  a  glory 
Glowed  more  nearly : 
And  it  told  them 
All  the  trueness 
Of  the  Great  One, 
Glory- circled. 


364  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  that  Valhall, 
Vast  In  heroes, 
God- enchanted, 
Goodly  Valhall, 
Was  but  earth- steam, 
Dome  of  endless 
Man-arisings, 
Many  natured. 

x\nd  that  God  was 
Greater,  greater, 
E'en  then  godhood. 
Elder  godhood : 
And  that  mankind, 
Munching  chestnuts, 
Was  the  rot  that 
Ruined  Valhall. 

And  that  Odin, 
E'en  of  baseness, 
And  that  Thor  of 
Thew  of  weakness, 
And  that  Gods  all 
Of  un- godhood, 
Died  and  rotted, — 
ValhalFs  ruin. 


THE    SECOND    VOLUSPA.  365 

And  that  Doomer 
Down  had  ventured, 
Not  from  Gimli, 
Glory's  footstool, 
But  from  Godhead, 
Far  past  godhood, 
Down  to  earthways : 
Dustward  drooping. 

And  that  Baby 
Born  in  weakness  " 
Was  the  root- form. 
Righteous-robing : 
And  the  old  gods 
Ever  pondered. 
Wise,  and  love- wise. 
What  the  End  was. 

Then  the  light  veil, 
Thinner  light  veil. 
Robed  revealing 
Righteous  wonders : 
And  they  saw  that 
Sere  YggdrasilFs 
Roots  and  rootlets 
Ran  with  life- sap. 


366  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  the  old  tree, 
Aspen  love- shook, 
Music-laden, 
Quaked  with  joy-moans ; 
For  the  man- roots 
Moaned  with  music, 
And  the  star-flowers 
Shook  with  love-notes. 

For  the  great  God, 
Baby  great  God, 
Beat  back  ill- fire 
Out  fi'om  all  things, 
And  His  mankind, 
Munching  chestnuts, 
.  From  the  Great  God 
Grew  to  gladness. 

For  the  Great  God 
Grew  to  Brother, 
And  to  Father, 
And  to  Friend ; 
And  from  Him  then. 
Elder  creature, 
Roots  of  mankind 
Rose  uprighted. 


THE    SECOND    VOLUSPA.  oG7 

And  so  Balder, 
Bearing  all  things, 
Came  to  earth  too, 
Even-freighted, 
And  he  took  up 
Toil  for  mankind, 
Roots  of  love-tree, 
Roots  of  life- tree. 

And  Yggdrasill, 
Ash  love- shaken. 
Combed  and  cared  for. 
Came  to  freshness; 
And  her  serpents 
Shed  their  slough- skins. 
And  lost  harmful 
Life- destructions. 

But  when  Balder, 
Beaming-hearted, 
Saw  the  sun -world. 
Saw  the  shadows 
Of  the  evil 
Ever  lessening. 
Then  he  strook  his 
String  of  harp- song. 


368  IMPROVISATIONS. 

"  In  the  Northland, 
Nigh  the  Iceland, 
Rays  are  rising, 
Righteous  glories : 
'Tis  the  north  shine 
Nooning  round  us ; 
Night  is  swooning ; 
Sways  and  trembles. 

"  Earth  has  died  down  : 
Odin's  earth  way : 
Thor  hath  left  his 
Thews  of  thunder. 
Mankind  mingles 
Mead  of  gladness, 
With  our  godhoods 
Glory  mated. 

"•  Earth  is  there  still, 
Earth  of  substance : 
Old  Yggdrasill's 
Elder  Truth-bone. 
Lo,  New  Vision : 
Vanished  Valhall 
Sweeps  from  Surtur's 
Serpent  fire- folds. 


THE    SECOND    VOLUSPA.  369 

"  Yalhairs  new  name, 
Never  tarnished, 
Odin's  new  name. 
Eldest  newness, — 
Spirit — spirit, 
Sunshine's  sister. 
Bride  of  Godhead, 
Glory's  playmate. 

'^  She  comes  sailing, 
Swimming  world-wide, 
And  eternal 
Air  about  her ; 
Spirit  saileth, 
So  Yggdrasill 
Shakes  sedately. 
Spirit- shaken.'' 

So  the  Vala, 
Veering  worldward. 
From  her  heaven  hill 
Heaves  her  anthems. 
She  on  heaven  hill 
Heard  of  Christ- man, 
God  of  greatness 
Gone  to  conquest. 

R  B 


370  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  tho'  mingled 
Far  in  moonlight, 
Palaced  moonlight, 
Pale  with  splendor, 
Yet  she  knoweth 
Newer  day- star 
O'er  Yggdrasill, 
Ash  love- shaken. 

And  as  time-^Wnd 
Travels  farther. 
Godhead- freighted, 
Gathers  wisdom, 
Love  of  mankind. 
Much  benighted, 
Stirreth  vision's 
Veering  vortex. 

So  at  Yuletide, 
Yester -world  song 
Floweth  feeble, 
Flickering  lamplight : 
But  she  dwelleth 
Deep  where  moonlight 
Shineth  God  ward, 
Sun -completing. 


A  LITTLE  MESSAGE  FOR  MY  WIFE.     371 


%  little  ilessag^  far  mjj  Wift 

DoTii  it  not  seem,  dear  wife, 
As  though  the  band  of  life 
Was  wove  throughout  by  mere  Almighty 
fingers. 
For  day  by  day  it  grows, 
Like  a  most  fragrant  rose. 
And  yesterday's  sweet  scent  in  this  day's 
lingers. 

It  is  as  though  some  flame 

AVove  through  it ;  and  it  came 
Corded  with  fire,  until  love's  incarnation 

Poured  through  it  blood  of  hope. 

And  made  its  fibrils  ope 
With  beauteous  lines  into  regeneration. 

So  heaven  comes  through,  and  through, 

And  elements  all  new 
Are  added  to  our  being  as  it  groweth  : 

Wind  is  our  earliest  breath  ; 

Thought  putteth  in  it  faith  ; 
And  flowery  last  with  love's  fair  warmth  it 

bloweth. 

B  B  2 


372  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Life  is  a  treasure  cup, 
We  offer  its  wine  up, 
And  heaven  doth  take  the  goblet  from  our 
hands : 
We  see  in  cloudy  grasp, 
'Tis  far  above  our  clasp. 
And  round  it  circles,   sky-born,  heavenly 
bands. 

Then  'tis  again  our  own. 

The  wine  within  it  grown 
By  its  own  vintage  of  the  empurpled  skies 

Of  love  and  truth  well  blent, 

Is  our  new  element, 
And  that  wine  lights  the  wells  of  spirit- 
eyes. 

So  is  it  ours,  and  so. 

Not  ours  ;  and  thus  we  go. 
Uncertain  of  ourselves,  if  self  is  self ; 

'Tis  well  it  should  be  thus  ; 

For  we  are  in  the  noose 
Of  vanity,  and  pride,  and  worldly  pelf. 

And  much  uncertainty, 
Doth  breed  a  spirit  free. 


A  LITTLE  MESSAGE  FOR  MY  WIFE.     373 

Of  humble  looseness  from  the  world's  old 
baits  : 

And  not  to  know  our  way, 

Doth  hinder  us  to  stray 
Within  the  purlieus  of  the  certain  fates. 

So  Providence  has  rule  : 
The  fool  doth  go  to  school, 
And  learns  his  lessons'  fear  with  earnest 
seeking : 
And  so  the  man  of  art 
Admitteth  heaven's  good  part, 
And  men  of  state  see  heaven  thro'  empire 
breaking. 

The  moral  of  the  whole, 

Is  this  for  human  soul. 
That  one  day's  ills  are  quite  enough  for 
mind  : 

And  that  the  voyage  opes  ; 

And  that  the  sunniest  slopes 
Within  good  trust  of  God  his  sailors  find. 


374  IMPROVISATIONS. 


Thou  art  the  chosen  one 

To  tell  a  tale  of  mine, 
That  long  ago  was  done, 

And  fell  beneath  my  eyne ; 
But  never  yet  was  writ, 

Because  it  was  too  soon : 
For  mortal  shade  did  flit 

Across  my  spirit-moon. 

Now  then  the  tale  begins  : 

Upon  a  day  it  fell. 
That  a  poor  man  of  sins 

Rested  beside  a  well ; 
And  in  the  waters  deep 

He  saw  his  visage  plain  : 
He  broke  those  waters'  sleep 

With  his  poor  eyes  tear-rain. 

Because  he  thought  of  times 
When  once  his  mother  dear. 

Taught  him  his  kneeling  rhymes, 
And  pointed  to  God's  fear ; 


CHARLOTTE    BRONTE,  375 

And  when  his  sister's  hand 
AYas  white  within  his  own  : 

And  when  the  heaven  was  scanned 
That  loves  o'er  childhood's  zone. 

He  sat  him  down  to  sigh, 

And  sat  him  down  to  grieve  : 
The  moon  w^as  up  on  high, 

Faint  seen  in  earliest  eve ; 
And  lo  !  beside  his  seat 

Of  mossy  turf  so  green, 
He  felt  a  gentle  heat 

As  from  a  face  unseen. 

And  as  he  wondered  what 

Might  be  the  genial  feel. 
And  felt  within  the  spot 

A  glow  that  did  appeal, 
Lo  1  in  his  hand  a  flower 

He  had  not  seen  before : 
He  picked  it  in  an  hour 

When  he  knew  not  its  store. 

It  was  a  daisy  once 

To  little  sister  given. 
And  now  come  back  in  trance, 

Handed  him  out  from  heaven  : 


376  IMp/oVISATIONS. 

He  looked  upon  its  eye, 
And  on  its  morning  leaves, 

And  then  he  heard  a  sigh 
As  of  a  bird  that  grieves. 

A  little  prisoned  bird 

Let  forth  from  out  its  flower 
A  melody  that  stirred 

The  drearness  of  the  hour : 
It  was  so  very  strange 

A  daisy  cup  should  be 
The  place  of  prison's  range 

Unto  a  bird  of  glee. 

And  having  sat  a  time 

On  this  memorial  stone, 
He  heard  the  church-beirs  chime  : 

Tt  told  the  hour  of  one : 
And  now  he  took  his  staff, 

And  rose  from  off  his  seat : 
And  next  his  lips  did  quaff 

A  bottle's  fever  heat. 

The  day  reeled  round  him  then : 
The  royal  noonday  fled  , 

And  in  a  swinish  pen 

He  weltered  with  the  dead : 


I 


CHARLOTTE    BRONTE.  377 

And  then  I  saw  him  lie 

Where  many  gravestones  were  : 
And  one  unwholesome  sigh 

Sickened  in  all  the  air. 

Another  scene  came  forth  : 

Another  curtain  lifted  : 
A  scene  of  different  worth  : 

A  life  more  mildly  gifted  : 
A  Lady  of  the  Lake — 

One  of  the  lake  of  dawTi, 
When  light  doth  snowdrops  make 

Upon  spring's  shadiest  lawn. 

She  sat  beside  a  board, 

And  had  a  silver  wand  : 
And  from  its  petals  poured 

A  lyric  sweetly  fond  : 
Soft  like  fine  evening's  red 

When  skies  are  all  in  love, 
And  when  the  world  is  wed 

Unto  the  ruddy  grove. 

She  managed  all  her  lines 
As  pencilled  flowers  are  set : 

And  every  beauty  shines 
Because  'tis  pity  wet : 


378  IMPROVISATIONS. 

She  sat  out  late  at  night, 
And  had  no  grave  on  earth  ; 

Because  her  heart's  delight 
Knew  never  spirit  dearth. 

And  so  she  was  translated 

Into  a  golden  hour  ; 
And  her  heart  gently  mated, 

Grew  into  a  new  power  : 
And  that  was  all  her  dying  : 

That  she  ceased  seeing  things 
From  which  the  life  is  flying ; 

And  that  she  put  on  wings. 

She  is  not  here  :  another 

Is  now  before  the  glass  : 
A  shape  whose  life  is  mother 

To  mysteries  that  pass 
And  beckon  with  wild  glances 

To  other  shapes  of  ire  : 
And  in  their  eye-deep  trances 

Stand  gulfs  of  Northern  fire. 

But  she  is  going  too, 

Because  she  is  incessant ; 

And  did  she  stay,  would  rue 
The  beauty  and  the  pleasant : 


CHARLOTTE    BRONTE.  379 

And  these  are  yet  to  tell : 

Because  the  end  is  good : 
And  where  the  end  is  well, 

The  means  are  still  its  food. 

Now^  still  another  scene  : 

Heaven  opens  :  earth  is  far  : 
The  moonlight  stands  serene 

Around  each  silver  star : 
The  couch  is  spread,  of  whiteness  : 

And  slumber's  hour  arrives  : 
Death  comes :  and  Death's  Politeness 

The  weary  wanderer  shrives. 

Day  dawns  :  a  band  is  gathered 

Upon  the  hills  of  God  : 
A  sixfold  band,  once  fathered 

In  Western  Yorkshire's  sod : 
They  live  on  hill-tops  still, 

But  fertile  mountains  now, 
Because  o'er  every  hill 

The  love  of  life  doth  glow. 

And  they  have  stories  strange, 
If  you  would  hear  them  out  : 

The  world  hath  little  range : 
The  world  hath  fever  s  rout : 


380  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  here  the  fire  of  beauty 
Lights  all  things  into  one  ; 

And  unity  of  duty 

Is  God's  name  for  the  sun. 

So  take  this  message  first, 

And  others  if  you  please  : 
The  earliest  day  was  nursed 

When  care  had  ceased  to  teaze  : 
And  tell  the  age  you  live, 

That  I  am  still  the  same  : 
Only  that  God  doth  give 

New  life,  new  love,  new  name. 


Lo  !  he  Cometh  to  the  world  he  left : 
Lo  !  he  seeketh  that  which  is  bereft : 
Lo !  the  gladness  waveth  from  his  brow  : 
For  the  seed-time  is  advancing  now. 

Out  from  all  the  store  of  all  the  past, 
On  a  day  when  memory  shadow  cast, 


JOHN    FLAXMAN.  381 

He  did  draw  a  handful  of  good  treasure, 
And  he  sowed  it  round  in  liberal  measure. 

But  one  thing  he  lacked,  but  one  thing  : 
For  his  muse  had  lost  a  heavenly  wing  : 
And  the  life  creative  was  her  want, 
And  her  wing  did  lower  creatures  haunt. 

So  the  heavenly  training  took  a  shape, 
And  the  modeller  who  must  not  ape. 
Was  instructed  by  the  spirit  quires. 
How  to  carve  the  music  of  their  lyres. 

O'er  his  head  a  band  of  music's  fires 
Strook  with  rapid  fingers  memory's  lyres. 
And  his  chisel  and  his  hand  must  play, 
And  give  music  notes  creative  way. 

So  he  took  his  amethystine  clay, — 
It  was  pure  and  glowing  A^-ith  the  day, — 
And  it  was  the  instrument  of  song, 
Thorough  which  the  music  bars  did  throng. 

And  when  he  had  worked  a  little  while, 
Lo !  the  clay  did  brighten  to  a  smile. 
And  like  Memnon's  statue,  morning  broke 
From  its  Lips  of  harmony,  and  spoke. 


382  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  the  statue  said  :  '^  One  purpose  lives 
Through  all  bosoms  ;   and  in  heaven  it 

thrives  : 
It  is  music  :  it  is  love :  and  one 
Wells  that  clear  white  purpose  from  the 

throne/' 

So  he  took  his  chisel  up  again, 
And  he  caught  a  second  music  rain  : 
And  the  Ears  of  that  now  living  stone 
Seemed  attentive-bent  to  every  tone. 

But  at  length  the  choir  of  angel-voice 
Into  golden  silence  did  rejoice  : 
Then  the  chisel  fell  into  a  swoon, 
And  the  Eyes  then  opened  royal  noon. 

And  they  spoke  again  :  the  silent  eyes : 
It  was  music's  light  in  loving  dyes  ; 
And  they  said  :  "  Another  thing  now  learn  : 
Every  stone  shall  have  a  heart  to  burn." 

So  he  threw  his  chisel  to  the  ground  : 
And  around  the  stone  his  arms  he  wound  : 
And  he  gave  it  Heart  out  of  his  heart : 
And  the  glory  shone  upon  its  part. 


THE    TEARS    OF    SWEDENBORG.         383 

For  the  brow  by  that  same  act  of  life, 
Had  got  light  for  its  own  heavenly  wife  ; 
And  the  brain  got  mind,  and  the  ears  sense : 
And  life  and  love  took  all  their  radiance 
thence. 

And  now  Flaxman  worketh  with  his  heart, 
And  heaven  doth  make  him  sculptures  from 

that  smart, 
And  he  would  fain  his  brethren  chiselled 

too 
With  that  bright  wand  that  runneth  with 

heaven's  dew. 


^t  ^ms  of  ^tocbcnborg. 

T/ie    Last    Judgment    has    been 
accomplished. 

Come,  let  us  talk  together, 
My  people,  let  us  speak  : 

The  world  hath  wintry  weather, 
And  the  world's  heai't  is  weak  : 


384  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Our  faces  should  be  strong, 
And  our  arms  gladsome  too  ; 

For  heaven  doth  now  prolong 
His  reign  of  Good  and  True. 

But  I  have  somewhat  still 

To  say  to  all  my  friends  : 
For  New  Heaven  is  a  hill 

Whose  lesson  never  ends  : 
Mine  earthly  workings  all, 

Though  ordered  by  the  Lord, 
Were  still  but  poor  and  small  • 

But  now  I  live  the  AVord. 

And  so  it  is  with  you : 

The  realm  of  life  is  vast : 
And  far  within  its  blue 

Are  other  fortunes  cast : 
The  realm  of  Providence 

Is  living  beyond  life  : 
And  the  new  Spirit- Sense 

Is  the  Lamb's  chosen  Wife. 

Mistake  not  gold  for  good, 
Nor  silver  yet  for  truth  : 

Heaven  is  a  living  flood, 
And  love  is  living  youth  : 


THE    TEARS    OF    SWEDENBORG.         385 

But  fall  not  down  to  things 
That  batten  your  world^s  men  : 

Leave  greatness  to  the  kings  : 
They  have  the  worldly  pen. 

I  have  a  Tear  to  shed  : 

It  falleth  from  my  heaven  ; 
And  on  a  Church  that's  dead, 

Whose  limbs  are  worldly  leaven : 
It  hath  a  silver  heart, 

That  tear  of  many  days  : 
It  woundeth  like  a  dart, 

Excepting  when  it  prays. 

I  shed  it  every  morn, 

And  every  night  anew : 
It  is  an  ear  of  corn 

From  all  my  life  that  grew  : 
The  corn  of  sorrow's  field 

For  days  of  man's  return. 
When  yet  the  Church  shall  yield 

The  hearts  of  love  that  burn. 

It  is  both  dew  and  grain  : 

It  is  both  cloud  and  sun  : 
It  is  both  ray  and  rain  : 

Its  mission  hath  begun  : 

c  c 


386  IMPROVISATIONS. 

Through  just  one  hundred  years, 
As  clocks  should  count  them  out, 

That  dewiness  of  tears 

Hath  kept  one  constant  route. 

It  falleth  most  to  day, 

Because  it  nears  its  ground, 
Whereon  its  feet  shall  pray. 

And  wake  the  garden's  wound  ; 
And  wheresoe'er  it  fall. 

Upon  what  soil  you  will. 
There  blossom-lights,  first  small. 

Then  larger,  it  shall  spill. 

But  if  it  falleth  not. 

The  ground  will  be  too  hard. 
And  the  poor  empty  plot 

With  brownness  will  be  scarred  : 
So  let  me  w^eep  awhile. 

For  heaven  abounds  in  tears, 
And  the  love- sun  doth  smile 

Only  from  sorrow's  cheers. 

My  birthday  hath  just  gone, 
A  deathday  drear  it  was  : 

A  corpse  was  left  alone  : 
A  crowd  did  see  it  pass  : 


THE    TEARS    OF    SWEDENBORG.         387 

It  stank  like  Lazarus, 

And  reeked  with  death's  conceits ; 
And  it  cried  :  "  Who  like  us 

Can  feel  life's  glorious  beats  !" 

And  as  the  bearers  went, 

And  chimed  with  heavy  feet. 
And  half  did  feel  the  scent 

That  other  men  did  meet. 
The  body  raised  its  hand 

Galvanic  to  its  head. 
And  beckoned  to  a  band 

That  knew  not  it  was  dead. 

And  they  came  trooping  up, 

And  trod  with  heavy  shoon, 
And  pointed  to  a  cup 

Made  out  of  a  half  moon  ; 
A  sickle  of  a  thing, 

Most  like  a  Turkish  star. 
And  it  had  in  it  sting 

Of  wine  of  wordy  war. 

And  they  gave  down  the  pot, 
And  gave  the  corpse  to  drink. 

And  then  it  took  its  lot. 
And  looked  into  the  brink, 

c  c  2 


388  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  that  insanest  wine 

Shewed  the  corpse  face,  itself, 

And  then  it  looked  divine 
Down  in  the  madness  shelf 

But  from  the  heaven  a  drop 

Of  amber  light  did  fall, 
And  perching  on  the  cup. 

Resisted  the  wine's  thrall ; 
And  grew  into  a  man. 

And  trod  the  wave  of  woe, 
And  then  a  newer  plan 

Right  through  the  wine  did  go. 

It  was  spilt  out  in  dust, 

And  dried  where'er  it  fell, 
And  it  put  out  all  lust 

Where'er  it  touched  his  shell ; 
For  lust  that  is  not  wet. 

Is  past  and  gone  and  spent : 
And  so  the  dust  we  get, 

Is  oft  in  mercy  sent. 

And  where  the  cup  had  stood, 
A  man  was  standing  now. 

With  sunlight  for  his  hood. 
And  loveKght  for  his  brow  ; 


THE    TEARS    OF    SWEDENBORG.  389 

And  the  ray  from  his  feet, 
Brass-radiance  burning  white, 

Was  the  wide  world's  new  heat, 
And  did  upmelt  it  quite. 

And  he,  the  elders  said. 

Is  the  New  Church  to  day ; 
A  man,  not  woman-wed. 

Yet  a  man  born  to  pray  : 
And  he  hath  much  to  do. 

And  still  more  to  repent ; 
But  he  hath  mercy's  shoe 

For  sorrow's  journey  lent. 

And  he  hath  Freedom's  brain, 

And  he  hath  Lowliness 
His  mantle  to  unstain. 

And  he  hath  Love  for  dress  : 
And  he  hath  Love  for  heart. 

As  soon  as  heart  comes  down  : 
And  Spirit  is  his  part. 

For  it  is  his  Lord's  own. 


Maij  2S,  1857. 


890  IMPROVISATIONS. 


^I]:e  t|at  hoxt  t|a. 

Thy  mother  :  so  she  was  : 

But  so  she  is  not  now : 
Yet  thou  shalt  see  her  pass, 

And  thou  shalt  feel  her  brow : 
She  standeth  o'er  thy  days, 

Far  over  them  indeed  : 
And  wateheth  all  thy  ways : 

That  is,  doth  see  their  seed. 

She  is  within  thy  home ; 

Within  thy  home  to  be, 
Unless  thy  feet  shall  roam 

Too  wildly  to  be  free : 
She  is  within  thy  heaven : 

The  mansion  of  thy  line  : 
And  there  she  loves  the  seven, 

And  knoweth  the  divine. 

Hark !  music  stealeth  o'er  : 
Hark !  silver  clarions  talk  : 

Lo !  on  the  blessed  shore 
The  silver  warriors  walk : 


SHE    THAT    BOKE    TllEE.  39 1 

They  walk  in  pairs  and  pairs  • 

Each  warrior  is  one  pair : 
And  through  the  twin- born  airs 

Bloom  twin-lived  graces  fair. 

Thy  mother  is  amid  : 

Her  blessed  shadow  comes  : 
Her  form  of  light  is  hid  : 

But  still  her  presence  blooms  : 
She  stands  upon  the  sea : 

The  sea  is  gladness  here : 
The  footsteps  of  the  free 

Sink  not  in  waters  clear. 

She  rises  to  the  brink  : 

Twain  children  of  the  day 
Have  come  down  there  to  drink 

The  freshness  of  the  spray  : 
It  is  the  heavenly  sea : 

And  all  its  foam  is  gift : 
The  wishes  of  the  free 

Do  there  the  waters  lift. 

She  stoopeth  down  with  them ; 

And  dippeth  in  the  mere : 
And  lo  !  a  ruddy  gem 

Shineth  far  down  and  clear : 


392  IMPROVISATIONS. 

It  is  a  pearl  of  blood, 
That  pity  once  did  love : 

It  liveth  in  the  flood, 

Nor  thence  would  willing  rove. 

But  see !  it  riseth  up, 

And  moveth  to  her  gaze  : 
And  now  it  is  a  cup. 

But  still  with  ruby  rays  : 
It  standeth  in  her  hand : 

It  talk^th  to  her  wrist : 
It  hath  a  golden  band 

That  hath  her  armlet  kist. 

She  lifts  it  upward  now : 

Upward  from  out  the  wave : 
And  it  sheds  o'er  her  brow 

A  redness  from  its  cave : 
And  now  she  loseth  sight, 

And  gaineth  other  eye ; 
And  now  she  moves  to  right, 

And  murmurs  heavenly  sigh. 

The  sea  has  past  away : 

That  drop  has  slain  the  sea : 

iVnd  now  a  deeper  day 
Awaits  her  on  the  lea : 


SHE    THAT    BORE    THEE.  393 

Only  the  cup  lives  still, 

Like  Pharaoh's  cups  of  yore, 

When  Israel  took  his  fill 

From  out  blind  Egypt's  store. 

And  now  a  mansion  stands 

Upon  a  miu-muring  lake : 
It  is  not  built  with  hands, 

Nor  doth  from  memory  take : 
But  it  is  new  as  life, 

iVnd  never  was  before  : 
And  all  its  stones  are  rife 

With  most  melodious  lore. 

And  she  is  there  by  day, 

For  'tis  her  waking  state : 
But  when  the  moon  doth  pray. 

And  when  the  sleep  hath  fate, 
Her  deeper  ancestors. 

Those  nearer  to  a  throne, 
Take  her  to  other  shores. 

Where  others  are  alone. 

And  there  she  meeteth  one 

She  never  knew  on  earth, 
And  yet  his  light  is  gone 

From  one  she  knew  in  birth : 


394  IMPROVISATIONS. 

But  this  one,  thus  on  high, 
And  trammelled  to  the  stars, 

Hath  penetrating  sigh. 

With  one  on  earth  that  wars. 

And  Order's  mighty  swans, 

That  sail  the  founts  of  things, 
Where  unmade  glory  runs, 

And  where  God  giveth  wings. 
Have  sung  a  song  for  her. 

Above  her  deepest  dream, 
That  her  life  yet  shall  stir 

The  bark  of  muddy  stream. 

And  that  within  that  boat, 

A  man  that  sitteth  bent, 
Shall  yet  to  eastward  float. 

And  yet  have  spirit  lent : 
And  then  she  wakens  up. 

And  tho'  in  heaven  she  wakens, 
She  tastes  not  of  its  cup, 

But  out  from  heaven  she  beckons. 

But  sometimes  still  she  sighs, 
And  like  a  widow  grand, 

She  veils  her  moving  eyes. 
And  bendeth  down  her  wand. 


SHE    THAT    BORE    THEE.  39^ 

And  walks  Anth  brow  beholding 

The  violets  of  the  world, 
And  marks  the  lily's  moulding, 

And  sees  the  daisies  pearled. 

But  no  regrets  escape  her. 

Because  she  has  to  wait : 
She  trims  her  silver  taper, 

And  gardens  her  estate : 
And  mindeth  friends  who  heed  her, 

And  hath  employ  of  good  : 
And  God  doth  gently  speed  her 

Upon  His  memory's  flood. 

And  when  the  evening  saileth 

From  out  the  morning's  rift, 
And  when  the  world- light  paleth, 

And  other  light  doth  lift, 
She  comes  to  all  her  sous. 

And  to  her  line  she  rays, 
And  dream-light  o'er  them  runs, 

And  nourisheth  their  days. 

For  dream- sleep  is  God's  field  : 

He  sows  the  angels  there  : 
And  He  sows  thy  world's  yield. 

And  plants  all  heavenly  care  : 


396  IMPROVISATIONS. 

And  dreams  are  deep,  deep,  deeper : 
For  man  and  angels  too  ; 

And  all  that  is,  is  sleeper. 
And  God  is  waking  true. 


NOTE. 

The  history  of  this  little  volume  may  be 
told  in  a  few  words. 

It  is  wTitten  by  a  new  method,  partly 
explained  in  the  title,  Improvisations. 

Last  Autmnn  my  attention  was  parti- 
cularly directed  to  the  phenomena  of  draw- 
ing, speaking,  and  writing,  by  Impression  : 
and  I  determined  to  make  an  experiment  of 
the  kind,  in  composition,  myself.  The  fol- 
lowing Poems  are  the  result.  Let  me  now 
explain  more  precisely  Avhat  is  meant  by 
Writing  by  Impression,  so  far  as  my  own 
personal  experience  is  concerned ;  for  I 
cannot  refer  to  any  other. 

A  theme  is  chosen,  and  Amtten  down. 
So  soon  as  this  is  done,  the  first  impression 
upon  the  mind  which  succeeds  the  act  of 


398  NOTE. 

writing  the  title,  is  the  beginning  of  the 
evolution  of  that  theme ;  no  matter  how 
strange  or  alien  the  word  or  phrase  may 
seem.  That  impression  is  written  down  : 
and  then  another,  and  another,  until  the 
piece  is  concluded.  An  Act  of  Faith  is 
signalized  in  accepting  the  first  mental 
movement,  the  first  word  that  comes,  as 
the  response  to  the  mind^s  desire  for  the 
unfolding  of  the  subject. 

However  odd  the  introduction  may  be, 
I  have  always  found  it  lead  by  an  infallible 
instinct  into  the  subject. 

The  depth  of  treatment  is  in  strict  pro- 
portion to  the  warmth  of  heart,  elevation  of 
mind,  and  purity  of  feeling,  existing  at  the 
time  :  in  other  words,  in  proportion  to  the 
conditions  of  Love  and  Faith. 

Eeason  and  Will  are  not  primary  powers 
in  this  process,  but  secondary ;  not  direc- 
tive, but  regulative :  and  imagination,  in- 
stead of  conceiving  and  constructing,  only 


NOTE.  399 

supplies  words  and  phrases  piecemeal :  or 
however  much  it  receives,  it  is  as  a  disk  on 
which  the  subject  is  projected ;  not  as  an 
active  concipient  organ.  Another  power 
flows  in ;  and  all  the  known  faculties  lend 
their  aid  to  make  way  for  it.  Those  facul- 
ties are  indeed  employed  in  laissez  faire  in 
its  inward  intensity ;  which  is  another  name 
for  Faith. 

Laissez  faire  in  the  present  state  of  the 
world,  is  so  active  a  vortex,  and  so  fiery, 
that  few  persons  dare  to  see  its  conse- 
quences. All  men  will  see  them  though, 
because  Providence  comes  in  with  marvels 
wherever  self  succumbs  itself. 

In  placing  reason  and  will  in  the  second 
place,  it  is  indispensable  for  man,  whose 
highest  present  faculties  these  are,  to  be 
well  assured  what  is  put  in  the  first  place. 
Hence,  Writing  from  an  Influx  which  is 
really  out  of  your  Self,  or  so  far  within 
yom'  Self  as  to  amount  to  the  same  thing. 


400  NOTE. 

is  either  a  religion,  or  a  madness.  I  know 
of  no  third  possibility.  In  allowing  your 
faculties  to  be  directed  to  ends  they  know 
not  of,  there  is  only  One  Being  to  whom 
you  dare  entrust  them  :  only  the  Lord.  Of 
consequence,  before  writing  by  influx,  your 
prayer  must  be  to  Him,  for  His  Guidance, 
Influx,  and  Protection.  And  you  must 
have  faith  that  that  prayer  is  answered, 
according  to  your  worthiness,  in  that  which 
flows  in.  The  Faith  is  the  acknowledgment 
of  the  gift,  which  becomes  an  ever- enlarging 
cup,  for  receiving  fresh  gifts,  or  fresh  Influx. 
This  appears  to  me  to  be  the  genuine 
position  of  a  Spiritual  Church  ;  and  it  may 
be  coextensive  with  all  acts  of  mankind. 
Swedenborg  tells  us,  that  in  the  conscious- 
ness of  heaven,  all  the  angels  live  "as  of 
themselves ''  with  immeasm-ably  greater 
distinctness  and  individuality  than  men  in 
the  world ;  and  this,  because  they  acknow- 
ledge in  every  act,  thought,  and  love,  that 


NOTE.  401 

all  Life  and  Good  and  Truth  are  from  the 
Lord.  They  feel  that  they  are  themselves  : 
they  know  that  they  are  the  Lord's.  This 
very  fact  gives  them  a  selfhood  of  a  new 
order  out  of  the  Divine  AVisdom ;  and 
thenceforth  they  are,  what  men  are  not, 
real  Selves.  Now  this  abstraction  as  it 
seems,  is  the  Eternal- Practical  part  of  the 
human  world,  and  the  Eternal  spring  of  all 
the  new  activities  of  mankind. 

How  so  ?  Because  men  have  it  in  their 
power  now,  in  a  New  Church,  to  make 
that  same  acknowledgment  in  mind  and 
life  ;  and  by  so  doing,  to  receive  that  Spirit 
which  is  the  source  of  life,  and  the  produc- 
tive energy  of  the  Good  of  Heaven.  "As 
in  heaven,  even  so  upon  the  earth.''  Our 
Lord  would  not  have  instructed  us  to  pray 
thus,  unless  the  prayer  could  be  granted. 

In  any  walk  of  life,  however  humble,  or 
however  high,  there  are  two  general  requi- 
sites for  a  heavenly  development.    The  first 


402  NOTE. 

is,  an  unremitting  assiduity  in  all  that  na- 
turally concerns  the  subject :  the  entire 
knowledge  and  manipulation  and  progress 
of  the  thing,  so  far  as  industry  can  attain 
them.  This  gives  the  human  materials. 
The  second  is,  the  heart's  Prayer  to  the 
Lord,  for  His  aid,  and  the  mind's  Faith  that 
that  prayer  is  answered  in  the  asking.  The 
resulting  actions  of  the  man  who  brings 
these  materials,  and  receives  by  acknow- 
ledgment these  spirituals,  will  form  a  part 
of  the  ever-progressive  heaven  of  the  special 
branch  which  it  is  that  man's  privilege  to 
be  employed  to  portray. 

Men  and  societies  thus  capacitated  from 
on  high,  will  become  conscious  organs  of 
the  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,  and  fear 
will  recede  from  their  back  parts,  and  night 
will  be  trodden  under  their  feet,  and  light 
will  be  kissed  by  their  foreheads. 

This  little  volume,  which  I  neither  value, 
nor  undervalue,  is  one  man's  earliest  essay 


NOTE.  403 

to  receive  with  upstretched  palms  some  of 
these  long- travelling,  most- unnoticed,  and 
yet  unchangeable  and  immortal  rays.  It 
was  given  just  as  the  reader  reads  it :  with 
no  hesitation  ;  without  the  correction  of  one 
word  from  beginning  to  end  :  and  how  much 
it  differs  from  other  similar  collections  in 
process^  it  were  difficult  to  convey  to  the 
reader.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  every  piece 
was  produced  without  premeditation  or  pre- 
conception :  had  these  processes  stolen  in, 
such  production  would  have  been  impossible. 
The  longest  pieces  in  the  volume  occupied 
from  thirty  to  forty-five  minutes.*  Alto- 
gether about  fifty  hours  of  recreation,  after 
days  not  unlaborious,  are  here  put  in 
print.  The  production  was  attended  by  no 
feeling,  and  by  no  fervour ;  but  only  by  an 


*  The  poem  called  The  Second  V'dluspd  (pronounced  Voly- 
spou),  the  longest  in  the  hook,  occupied  from  fifty  to  sixty 
minutes.  As  a  rule,  it  requires  twice  as  long  to  copy  a 
poem,  as  to  write  one. 


404  NOTE. 

anxiety  of  all  the  cireumstant  faculties,  to 
observe  the  unlooked  for  evolution,  and  to 
know  what  would  come  of  it.  For  the  most 
part,  the  full  import  of  what  was  written, 
was  not  obvious  until  one  or  more  days  had 
elapsed:  the  process  of  production  seemed 
to  put  that  of  appreciation  into  abeyance. 

Many  of  the  Poems  are  written  by  Cor- 
respondences, as  Swedenborg  terms  the  re- 
lations which  natural  objects  bear  to  spiri- 
tual life ;  or  to  the  varieties  of  Love,  which 
is  the  grand  object  of  all.  Hence  it  is  the 
readers  of  Swedenborg  who  will  best  under- 
stand this  class  of  Poems. 

It  is  evident  also,  that  to  the  New  Church, 
and  to  none  other,  can  belong  the  gift  of  a 
progressive,  because  heavenly  Spiritualism. 
There  are  three  reasons  for  this ;  each  invi- 
sible to  the  world;  and  invincible  by  the 
world. 

I.  The  New  Church  worships  the  Lord 
alone,  as  the  only  God  of  heaven  and  earth : 


NOTE.  405 

the  Lord  in  His  Divine  Humanity.  This 
is  the  essential  of  Divine  influx.  Because 
the  Lord  can  then  guide  the  heart  and  mind 
and  life,  according  to  their  recipiency  of  his 
divine  qualities ;  and  this  guidance  is  hea- 
ven. But  where  three  persons,  or  an  ab- 
straction, are  worshipped,  heaven  is  not. 

II.  The  New  Church  receives  the  Di- 
vinity of  the  Word  in  the  internal  or  Spirit- 
ual Sense,  as  well  as  in  the  external  or 
natural :  and  this  Spiritual  Divinity  con- 
stitutes heaven. 

III.  The  New  Church  has  received  the 
beginning  of  the  knowledge  and  doctrine  of 
Correspondences,  in  the  writings  of  Sweden- 
borg :  and  it  is  by  the  Con^espondences  of  the 
Word,  that  heaven  is  conjoined  with  earth. 

We  may  sum  up  the  position  thus.  With- 
out the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  acknowledged  as 
Sole  Divine,  there  is  no  intelligible  divine 
influx  for  man  :  without  the  Word,  which  is 
the  Lord  accommodated  to  all  spheres,  there 


406  NOTE. 

is  no  heaven :  and  without  the  perception  of 
Correspondence,  which  is  the  harmony  of  God 
in  all  things,  there  is  no  access  to  heaven : 
consequently,  no  power  by  which  the  human 
being  can  be  spiritualized,  or  lifted  above 
the  earthly  spheres. 

Any  man  may  indeed  penetrate  into  the 
spiritual ;  but  unless  by  these  divine  ac- 
knowledgments, it  will  merely  be  the  na- 
tural spiritual :  the  passage  beyond,  which 
does  not  lead  upwards.  The  next  phases  of 
SPIRITUALISM  will  shew  where  verity  lies ; 
by  shewing  to  what  acknowledgements  the 
Lord  God  gives  the  powers  of  Progressive 
Revelation. 

The  New  Church  has  not  taken  up  its 
privilege  as  a  divinely  spiritual  Church.  It 
has  been  a  faithful  Librarian  of  Sweden- 
borg  Y  a  Church  School  of  Knowledges,  and 
Doctrines.  But  whenever  can  there  be  a 
Church  that  is  not  a  Church  of  Gifts  ?  No 
man  can  make  himself;    still  less  can   a 


NOTE.  407 

Church.  The  Spirit  in  all  its  universality 
is  the  preferred  Gift  of  the  New  Jerusalem  : 
the  Spirit  hymning  all  praises,  lifting  all 
hands  in  prayers  that  cast  forth  all  demons : 
blessing  all  labours ;  healing  all  sorrows : 
speeding  all  arts :  peircing  through  all  veils ; 
and  catching  the  reflex  image  of  its  Lord 
in  all  sciences:  opening  heaven  and  hallow- 
ing earth :  the  Spirit  to  do  more  than  can  be 
written,  is  the  offer  of  the  Lord  to  his  ever- 
lasting Church. 

That  New  Spirit  is  within  reach  of  every 
man  in  every  circumstance  :  not  confined  to 
Art,  Genius,  or  Calling  :  but  being  above 
all  things,  meant  to  flow  down  with  the 
intended  blessings  of  all  things.  It  hath 
come  in  all  ages  to  some :  now  it  approacheth 
to  the  universal  earth,  and  shall  never  again 
recede  ;  but  the  earth  shall  open  to  ils  de- 
scent, and  the  waters  of  all  oceans  become 
the  dry  places  and  fruitful  cornlands  of  the 
Lord  of  the  harvest. 


408  NOTE. 

Acknowledge  the  Lord,  then,  in  all  thy 
works,  believe  that  He  is  thy  might,  and 
that  His  tenderness  is  thine  affection  :  so  is 
the  door  opened,  and  He  that  comes  in  to 
sup  with  thee  shall  himself  be  the  new  sup- 
per which  He  will  bless  to  thine  eternal 
edification. 

One  word  more  :  the  Purification  of  the 
Natural  Life  is  the  material  ground  in  which 
the  blessings  of  Influx  are  imparted.  Actual 
and  hereditary  evils  put  aside,  sins  con- 
quered, are  Progress,  and  there  is  none 
other.  These  victories  are  skill  and  song 
all  through  the  nuptial  immensities  of  the 
heavens  :  and  the  choir  points  with  all  its 
voices,  wider  than  the  sunrise  of  all  uni- 
verses, to  that  throne  of  victory  where  He 
sitteth,  whose  inmost  ray  saith  ineffably : 
"  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me.'' 

J.  J.  G.  W. 

St.  John's  Wood. 
June  3,  1857. 


Catalogue  ot  Sooks 

For  Sale  by  the 

New  Church  Publishing  Association, 

447  BROOME  STREET,  N.  Y. 


4»» 


Improvisations  from  the  Spirit.  A  volume  of  Poems. 
By  J.  J.  G.  Wilkinson.  416  pages,  32mo.  Price,  plain 
cloth,  $1.25;  fiilt,  $1.50. 

The  Wisdom  of  Angels.     By   Rev.  T.  L.  Harris.    Just 

i  published.  A  startling  volume  of  220  pao^es.  Price,  plain 
muslin,  75  cents  ;  gilt,  $1  ;  postage  12  cents, 

Hymns  of  Spiritual  Devotiov.  By  Rev.  Thos.  L.  Har- 
ris. A  collection  of  Hymns  from  the  Spirit-life,  adapted 
to  the  wants  of  families,  circles  and  congregations  of 
Spiritualists.  Price,  plain  muslin,  40  cents;  gilt,  50 cents; 
postage  6  cents. 

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